Three things charities need to consider when campaigning during a General Election.

It’s official, a general election has been called for 4 July 2024! It’s an exciting time, and it’s natural to wonder how your charity can engage in this period, stay true to your mission and not compromise Charity or Electoral Commission rules. The good news is, you absolutely can campaign throughout a general election period, but special attention to detail must be paid.

Whilst the announcement of the General Election may have left many flustered and feeling a sense of rush and urgency, there is no need to panic. The calling of a general election now provides us with a definitive timeline which offers everyone a positive sense of direction.

As the amazing charities that you are, you can continue to campaign and highlight the causes your charity has always championed! That’s the key thing to remember. However, you cannot support or oppose a candidate or party. As a charity it remains crucial for you to stay neutral and ensure that all your communications reflect this stance. Usual rules apply, so of course, you should avoid influencing voter behavior, meaning you should not intend to sway voters towards or against any party or candidate. 

THREE KEY THINGS TO REMEMBER

Firstly, political neutrality:

• As a charity, you cannot support or appear to support any political party or candidate.
• The responsibility for ensuring this neutrality lies with everyone at the charity from trustees to social media managers.
  
• Remember that any engagement needs to be with all party candidates especially when encouraging supporters to engage with their local PPCs; provide your supporters with the tools to do so fairly and neutrally.

Second, focus on your cause:

• Any action, message, or campaign should stay focused on the issues relevant to your charity’s purpose and you shouldn’t pull back from being clear about the changes your charity wants to see.
  
• Promote debate on your issues, but avoid anything that could be seen as supporting or opposing a party or candidate.
  
• This is not the moment to become political or party focused but rather seizing the opportunity to be change-focused!

Third and last (but far from least) staff guidelines:

• Keep your colleagues up to do date with what’s happening in the political environment and make sure everyone know’s how the Charity Commission rules play a part in their work. For example if your charity has local services who all have locally ran social media pages make sure they are aware of what they should and shouldn’t be posting on behalf of the organisation.
  
• If your colleagues or representatives wish to campaign for a party or candidate, they must make sure to disassociate themselves from the charity in their public communications to avoid any appearance of endorsement. For example, if they’re discussing candidates or parties on X (formerly Twitter), they should not mention their employment with your charity in their handle or bio.

Bonus tip

It can be a very busy time for charity professionals always trying to keep up with the latest headlines and changes – we see how dedicated you all are to your work every single day. So a gentle reminder from the Principle team to also prioritise your wellbeing.

HELPFUL RESOURCES

• Charity Commission’s Guidance on Campaigning and Political Activity
• Regulatory and Risk Framework
• Guidance on Charities, Elections, and Referendums

Remember, it’s crucial that everyone involved in your charity is aware of these rules. But even more crucial that you don’t stop calling for change and campaigning to make that change a reality.

If you have any questions or concerns about your charity’s work during the general election, please do not hesitate to get in touch with a member of our team. We are committed to helping charities have a voice and campaigning for change.

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