The politicisation of some of the bigger charities

I have just done a short interview on BBC Radio Wales, about an article on charities, that I wrote a year ago for the website Conservative Home. My main point was that I don't believe that the bigger charities should spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on lobbying government. This could be done by trade associations and pressure groups. Apart from necessary administration and fund raising, all finance raised from the public should be spent on the ground.

I was on the programme with a representative from Oxfam, who argued that the charity had a long record in campaigning. That may be so, but why can't good campaigns for fair trade and the like be done by relevant non-charitable campaigning organisations (of which there are many), which leaves these kind of charities doing what they do best - helping those most in need?

P.S. There are other interesting articles about this issue: HERE, HERE and HERE.

Rob Halfon ~ Working hard for Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon & Sheering. http//roberthalfon.blogspot.com