Charity Campaigning & Political Activity - Staying Within the Law

Introduction

Charities are increasingly prominent participants in public law and policy debate, drawing on their close engagement with service users and communities. This positioning gives rise to complex legal questions when advocacy intersects with politically sensitive issues or electoral cycles.

For charity lawyers advising trustees and senior leadership, the key challenge is navigating the boundary between lawful charitable campaigning and prohibited party-political activity. This becomes particularly acute where campaigns are high-profile, time-sensitive, or coincide with elections and where regulatory, reputational and enforcement scrutiny is heightened.

This short webinar examines the legal framework governing charitable campaigning, including the Charity Commission for England and Wales’ guidance on political activity and campaigning. It will address how to distinguish legitimate charitable advocacy from impermissible support for political parties and when criticism of government policy remains within lawful limits.

It will also consider the application of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, including the scope of the non-party campaigning regime and the practical implications for registration thresholds, spending controls and reporting obligations.

You will gain practical guidance to support defensible legal advice to trustees, including how to identify regulatory risk, structure decision-making processes and evidence compliance. The webinar will also help you strengthen governance frameworks that withstand scrutiny from regulators, auditors and the public while preserving legitimate advocacy space.

Register today to enhance your expertise in charity campaigning law, support robust trustee decision-making and ensure your clients’ advocacy remains both strategically effective and legally compliant.

What You Will Learn

The webinar will cover the following:

• How charity law distinguishes between lawful charitable campaigning, permitted political activity in support of charitable purposes and prohibited party-political activity
• When charities can legitimately criticise government policy, legislation, or public decision-making without compromising their independence or charitable status
• The core principles in the Charity Commission for England and Wales guidance on campaigning and political activity, including trustee responsibilities and expectations for decision-making
• How to recognise and manage the risk of regulatory scrutiny, complaints, or investigation arising from advocacy, campaigning, or public communications
• Practical steps to reduce reputational and governance risk, including effective trustee oversight, structured risk assessment, clear record-keeping, careful messaging and social media governance
• How election periods affect charitable campaigning, including strict limits on support for or opposition to political parties or candidates
• Key electoral law considerations, including non-party campaigning rules under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (‘Lobbying Act’ regime) and when registration, spending limits and reporting requirements may apply

This pre-recorded webinar will be available to view from Thursday 11th February 2027

Alternatively, you can gain access to this webinar and 2,400+ others via the MBL Webinar Subscription. Please email webinarsubscription@mblseminars.com for more details.