On December 20, an MP was reported as saying that part of a Bill which charities believe will restrict their ability to speak for vulnerable people should be dropped.
The comments of MP Lisa Nandy, shadow voluntary sector minister, came as peers in the House of Lords debated the controversial lobbying Bill, after the government put on pause the progress of the legislation for five weeks amidst widespread concerns.
Lisa Nandy said: ‘I don’t see any need for legislation that restricts charities’ abilities to speak out’. She explained that the charity sector ‘acts like a megaphone for people who don’t usually have a voice’.
A commission backed by 100 groups highlighted flaws within part two of the lobbying Bill. Part two of the Bill introduces new rules to control how non-party organisations speak out on issues in the 365 days before a general election.
The legislation will hit a whole range of legitimate campaigning activities, peers warned during the committee stage of the Bill in the House of Lords. Conservative peer Lord Hodgson raised the issue of ethnic minority charities that might not wish to invite the British National Party candidate to their electoral hustings. He said they are concerned that by doing so, ‘for perfectly obvious reasons’, they may inadvertently ‘fall into the trap’ of the provisions in the Bill.
