MCF Urges Caution Over Expanded Charity Commission Powers in Social Cohesion Plan 

Following the government’s recent announcement of its social cohesion plan, Muslim Charities Forum (MCF) expresses strong concerns and caution regarding the potential expansion of Charity Commission powers. 

While elements of the action plan are welcome steps towards bridging social divides, the overall strategy appears to be a broad attempt to satisfy multiple electorates, as a result, becomes misdirected in places.  

Measures aimed at strengthening communities, including increased support for the Pride in Place programme and efforts to tackle religious hatred are welcomed by the sector. However, the attempt to define anti-Muslim hostility appears to be diluted, and proposed expansion of Charity Commission powers without appropriate supporting guidelines risks further undermining the independence of civil society, exacerbating the current shrinking of civic space. 

While there must be a zero-tolerance approach towards hateful and unlawful conduct, without clear definitions and guidelines, vague terminology risks deepening the chilling effect across civil society and disproportionately impacting minority groups if new powers are politically weaponised. 

Commenting on the action plan, Fadi Itani OBE, CEO of Muslim Charities Forum said: 

“The proposed expansion of powers must be accompanied by robust consultation with civil society to assess whether existing legislation is sufficient, and to ensure that any new measures do not erode democratic principles by suppressing legitimate advocacy and political engagement.” 

Any new powers must be exercised with clear safeguards and applied proportionately both in scope and practice. They must not be used to suppress legitimate civil society voices or to weaponise the Commission against lawful causes, particularly in an already shrinking civic space. MCF therefore calls for caution and meaningful engagement with the sector before any such powers are introduced, embodying a participatory approach towards policymaking as outlined in the Civil Society Covenant.