St Rocco's could be gagged

HIGHLY respected Warrington charity St Rocco’s Hospice could be “gagged” by the controversial Lobbying Bill, according to MP Helen Jones.
The Warrington North MP says the bill, put forward by the Coalition Government, could have potentially damaging consequences for people in Warringon.
It could become more difficult for small charities and local organisations to hold the Government to account or highlight how Government policies were having a damaging effect on local people.
For example, Ms Jones (pictured) claimed, St Rocco’s Hospice, through their shops, might no longer be able to enter a campaign coalition with other charities because its full cost would have to be counted in their expenditure.
The “Choose Charity Shops Week” which Ms Jones was involved with in Birchwood would not have the same positive impact under the new Lobbying Bill.
She said: “This bill would discourage and restrict those who are already working hard to improve their communities.
“David Cameron came into Government claiming to be passionate about building the ‘Big Society’ but the truth is that this Bill would help destroy what the Prime Minister claims to want to encourage.
“Local charities such as St Rocco’s do so much for the people in Warrington – we’ve already seen how their important work is.
“This is incredibly important work that has had a real impact and David Cameron should be helping them instead of trying to gag them by creating an unnecessary administrative burden.
“This bill amounts to a gag on charities and campaigners and is a desperate attempt by the Government to prevent their record and policies from being criticised and scrutinised at a local level.”
The Government claims that this bill will introduce a real register of lobbyists but it covers just one per cent of the industry and actually increases the regulation of charities and other “third party” campaigners and restricts their ability to campaign on important issues during election periods.
But the bill has been widely criticised and Government Ministers are said to have instructed civil servants to redraft it to remove unintended consequences.