Much as I deplore these people and their causes, as a classical liberal I can’t object to them pursuing them. As regards their creation of multiple sock puppets, it is pretty pathetic and worthy of derision but we shouldn’t object in a legal sense to them doing it. However……
It is clear that the entire concept of charity has been grossly subverted and needs to be restored to a traditional and narrow view that is pretty much limited to the relief of poverty (defined absolutely, not relatively). Open border campaigning is nakedly political and can’t possibly be seen as charitable. Hobby activities (eg beekeeping - disclosure: I’m a trustee of a beekeeping charity) need to go back to being hobbies, even if they have an aspect that can be seen as worthy. There are tens of thousands of charities which are just campaign groups and leisure activities which should simply become non charitable associations.
No charity, however widely or narrowly defined, should receive any taxpayer support, including by gift aid. The support of charities needs to be something that private individuals do voluntarily and out of their post tax income. We can applaud their endeavours but the activity should be wholly separate from the activities of the State.
Private ‘charitable’ foundations also need a wholesale review. To remain eligible to keep their status, and the tax advantages that go with it, their activities must be restricted to whatever narrow definition of charity is adopted in place of the current free for all. And there should also be an investigation to see whether the grants that have been doled out to date by the likes of the Rowntree and Quaker trusts are in accordance with their own objectives as set out in their constitutions. Where it is found that activist trustees have effectively taken over such bodies to use their endowments for their own political purposes they should be held to account and required, as trust law demands, personally to repay to the trusts the money they have expropriated for their own purposes.
Much as I deplore these people and their causes, as a classical liberal I can’t object to them pursuing them. As regards their creation of multiple sock puppets, it is pretty pathetic and worthy of derision but we shouldn’t object in a legal sense to them doing it. However……
It is clear that the entire concept of charity has been grossly subverted and needs to be restored to a traditional and narrow view that is pretty much limited to the relief of poverty (defined absolutely, not relatively). Open border campaigning is nakedly political and can’t possibly be seen as charitable. Hobby activities (eg beekeeping - disclosure: I’m a trustee of a beekeeping charity) need to go back to being hobbies, even if they have an aspect that can be seen as worthy. There are tens of thousands of charities which are just campaign groups and leisure activities which should simply become non charitable associations.
No charity, however widely or narrowly defined, should receive any taxpayer support, including by gift aid. The support of charities needs to be something that private individuals do voluntarily and out of their post tax income. We can applaud their endeavours but the activity should be wholly separate from the activities of the State.
Private ‘charitable’ foundations also need a wholesale review. To remain eligible to keep their status, and the tax advantages that go with it, their activities must be restricted to whatever narrow definition of charity is adopted in place of the current free for all. And there should also be an investigation to see whether the grants that have been doled out to date by the likes of the Rowntree and Quaker trusts are in accordance with their own objectives as set out in their constitutions. Where it is found that activist trustees have effectively taken over such bodies to use their endowments for their own political purposes they should be held to account and required, as trust law demands, personally to repay to the trusts the money they have expropriated for their own purposes.
Well said, Paul. I couldn't agree more.
Thanks Charlotte. Your work is vital and very skilled, connecting all the threads.