Who does the Charity Commission answer to [if anyone]?

28feb18

The above question is one that is being asked, not just by us, but by others too.

Here, Baroness Stowell sits alone. It’s going to become abundantly clear in the short term future just how alone she sits.

The fact that Baroness Stowell was appointed as chair of the Charity Commission against the wishes, advice and assessment of the Parliamentary Select Committee headed by Damian Collins MP, should lead to reforms…

Reforms that would trigger an automatic parliamentary debate if candidates in the future are appointed against a Select Committee’s advice.

This is not our view but the view of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee.

The Charity Commission is answerable to that Committee.

In other words, that Committee regulates the regulator.

Or, at least, that is the official line.

Now that the Committee’s points have been dismissed by the Government “without any meaningful engagement on matters of substance" in the Committee’s words, we await with interest to see what happens.,.

We already have plentiful evidence, which we will share on this blog, that the Charity Commission behaves as if it answers to nobody.

Perhaps it has been practising for when that really IS the case.

Weakening its overseer…

justifying its actions by inventing an ever-present Muslim extremist threat…

to make it more interesting, throw in some half-baked allegations

- is the Commission positioning for even greater powers?

We feel confident that the Charity Commission will not be hampered by any of the additional responsibility that should go with greater power.

Trinity

#TinaStowell #BaronessStowell #charitycommission #DigitalCultureMediaandSportSelectCommittee #charitina #DamianCollins

Baroness Stowell ["ChariTina"], the new Chair of the Board of the Charity Commission