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s AM2: 2015 election

Charlotte Ravenscroft, Head of Policy and Research, NCVO

Elizabeth Chamberlain, Policy Manager, NCVO

Agenda

Introduction & context

Shaping the future for your organisations: Campaigning within the law & the Lobbying ActYour questions

Shaping the future for the voluntary sector:NCVO manifestoHow you can help

Looking ahead to 7 May 2015…

Source: Daily Mail

Source: UK Polling Report

Predictions (1)

It’s the economy, stupid!

and Europe

Source: ONS/BBC

A final forecast… public spending

Change in central and local government spending from 2010/11 (£ billions)

Excludes: social security; interest payments; capital spending

Source data: OBR

Your campaigning priorities and concerns• What are your organisation’s campaigning

priorities for the election?

• What concerns (if any) do you have about campaigning in advance of the election?

Shaping the Future 2015:Campaigning within the law and the Lobbying Act

Elizabeth Chamberlain – Policy Manager

Charity Law

Charity Commission Speaking Out: Guidance on Campaigning and Political Activities by Charities (CC9)

The guidance – key principles

Charities must always act for the advancement of their charitable purposesCharities must guard their independence and reputationA charity cannot exist for a political purposeCampaigning and political activity can be legitimate and valuable activities for charities to undertakeCampaigning and political activity must be undertaken only in the context of supporting the delivery of the charitable purposes

The guidance – political engagement

A charity must never be party politicalA charity must not give support or funding to a political party, nor to a candidate or politicianA charity may give its support to specific policies advocated by political parties if it would help achieve its charitable purposes

Charities and Elections

Supplementary Guidance on Elections and ReferendumsGuiding principle: charities should be, and be seen to be, independent from party politicsImplications for:• policy positions• publicity material• engagement with candidates

Electoral Law

Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014

Non-Party Campaigning

What activity is included?Definition of controlled expenditure• “expenditure that can reasonably regarded as

intended to promote or procure electoral success”• it is immaterial that it can reasonably be regarded

as intended to achieve any other purpose as well

Electoral Commission:• purpose test• publicity test

Key changes

• Longer list of qualifying expenses• Higher registration thresholds• Lower national spending limits• New constituency spending limits• New reporting requirements• Option for organisations ‘working to a joint

plan’

Regulated activities

• Election material• Public events and rallies• Press conference and other media events• Canvassing and market research seeking

views or information from the public • Transport to obtain publicity

Regulated period

365 days, ending on the day of the election

For 2015 General Election:19 September 2014 – 7 May 2015

Review of the law after 2015 General Election

What happens after registration?

Record and report spending (including spending by constituency)Check the permissibility of donations received above a certain amount that go towards regulated activitiesSubmit a spending return or statement of accounts covering the regulated period once the General Election has ended

Find out more

NCVO FAQs: http://blogs.ncvo.org.uk/2014/03/12/faqs-on-the-lobbying-act/

Electoral Commission guidance comes out July 2014

Electoral Commission updates in the meantimehttp://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/party-or-campaigner/non-party-campaigners

Time for your questions

Shaping the Future 2015:NCVO election manifesto

Charlotte Ravenscroft – Head of Policy & Research

Launched May 2014

How to strengthen the economy and help people find work

How to strengthen the economy and help people find work

How to maximise the voluntary sector’s contribution:

• Prioritise preventative spending

• Welfare to work programmes should be better designed to help people with complex needs

• Organisations delivering public service contracts should be able to pay the living wage

How to transform public services

How to transform public services

How to maximise the voluntary sector’s contribution:

• Review the state of public service markets

• Extend the Commissioning Academy for procurement professionals

• Create a Centre for Social Value

How to help communities and volunteering flourish

How to help communities and volunteering flourish

How to maximise the voluntary sector’s contribution:

• Support growth of the volunteer movement

• Create a new Access to Volunteering Fund

• Support local philanthropy – by matchfunding donations from businesses and individuals

• Make the Small Donations Scheme more accessible to small charities

• Improve access of frontline organisations to social investment

How you can help

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful and committed citizens can change the world.

• Invite your parliamentary candidates to visit your charity

• Give your parliamentary candidates a copy of NCVO’s manifesto

• Write a guest blog for our website• Email or tweet us to show your support

Thank you for joining us today!

Contact details:

Elizabeth.chamberlain@ncvo.org.uk0207 520 2559@ncvoliz

Charlotte.ravenscroft@ncvo.org.uk0207 520 2475@charravenscroft

PS – follow our 5-minute policy manager blog for monthly policy updates

Evolve 2014