What are charities for?

“when I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why they are poor, they call me a Communist.”

Helder Camara

What are charities for?

In the last few days, this has once again become a deeply politicised question. It is a question about world views and it captures the unease about the relationship between the third sector and the state that has resulted in Gagging Law being passed by a Government whose relationship to scrutiny has never been a wholly comfortable one.

What caused this latest round of charity bashing was a poster by Oxfam that described the conditions that cause UK poverty as a “perfect storm”. These conditions included zero hour contracts, benefits cuts and unemployment.

All of this is true, these things are happening and they are causing poverty. Oxfam has the research to prove it. They are a huge, well run and dedicated charity. They know what they are doing when it comes to their aims, objectives and values.

Oxfam has a long history of being a campaigning charity too. In fact, it was founded to oppose a wartime policy of Churchill’s. Far from roaming from their remit, Oxfam’s work in challenging governments to do better is where they have always positioned themselves.

But a great many Tory commentators have taken objection to Oxfam’s online poster and a tweet referencing it. Oxfam have been reported to the Charity Commission by MP Conor Burns.

The Tories have a fascinatingly confused relationship with the charitable sector. The Party so fond of economies of scale in the private sector, are attached only to a vision of charities as running stalls at village fetes. Their nostalgic, rose-tinted view of what is needed from charities displays a Victorian “alms for the poor” vision that is a long way from what the most effective charities we have in the UK actually do.

One of the key things for any charity to think about and to prove under their – pretty rigorous – scrutiny is offering those who fund them value for money. As this row has developed, I keep thinking about the old adage “give a fish, he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish he will eat for life”. I think there is a vital step missing from this. We must create the conditions in which the man is able to fish. We must remove the barriers that currently stand between the man and his meal.

Some Tories calling for a boycott of Oxfam believing they have strayed from their purpose. They thought Oxfam was a charity that only worked to ameliorate the ill effects of the world as it is currently organised (and particularly overseas). But if Oxfam really want to eradicate poverty, rather than simply clean up after the messes of others, then they must be allowed to comment on and challenge the conditions that cause it.

The Tories should embrace this challenge. As Labour should and must when we return to power. Having our policies and politics questioned by highly respected external bodies is an essential part of what democracy is. That Oxfam’s interventionist stance chimes with what some in Labour believe is not the same as Oxfam supporting Labour or trying to oust the Tories. It’s about trying to use an evidence based approach to win around all legislators. I am certain that a future Labour government will face similar criticism and attack from Oxfam and many others – especially if we do as we have said we will and repeal the Lobbying Act. We should never be tempted to follow Conor Burns’ example.

If the Tories had simply stayed quiet, the Oxfam campaign would not have nearly so much prominence as it now does. In seeking to shut them up, Burns has both aided Oxfam in spreading their message while also taking one more step towards the total re-toxification of the Tory brand. Picking a fight with a charity is not smart political behaviour. The Tories – far from looking like the tough no-nonsense guys they want to be, look small and petty. They look like they can’t take – never mind listen to and follow criticism.

The role of charities will continue to be a contested one. But I for one and happy to continue to support an organisation that is trying to eradicate – not merely ameliorate – poverty wherever they find it.