Category Archives: Charities

Jam and Westminster?

Posted on December 8, 2013 by ianchisnall

According to recent reports, the Womens Institute has 212,000 members, 18,000 of whom have joined this year. This means they have more members than the largest British Political Party and their growth in membership outstrips the growth in any of … Continue reading →

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We should welcome scrutiny

Posted on December 5, 2013 by ianchisnall

In my blog yesterday, I responded to the inept suggestion from Margaret Hodge that the current work of the Charity Commission should be passed to the Tax Office (HMRC) because she believes that they could do a better job. Whilst I was working … Continue reading →

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The Taxman Cometh?

Posted on December 4, 2013 by ianchisnall

Margaret Hodge MP has proposed that under a future Labour Government, charities could be regulated by the Taxman, not the charity commission as they are at present – she is showing how once again our MPs don’t understand the charitable sector, nor … Continue reading →

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Johnson, you’re Lamont’ble

Posted on November 30, 2013 by ianchisnall

The speech earlier this week by Boris Johnson for the annual Margaret Thatcher lecture entitled What Would Maggie do Today? has been analysed and criticised by lots of people far better placed than me to do so. I read the speech in this … Continue reading →

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How accessible is your MP?

Posted on November 29, 2013 by ianchisnall

Does our Parliament really care what we think, are they interested in our views, or do they simply want us to endorse their party political ideology in between elections? At the beginning of November the House of Lords forced the … Continue reading →

Posted in Charities, Lobbying Bill, Parliament and Democracy | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Credit where it is due

Posted on November 16, 2013 by ianchisnall

An ongoing theme of this blog is my view that all MPs and Government Ministers should visit the myriad of foodbanks that have sprung up across the country. There cannot be many constituencies without at least one foodbank, and Wealden, currently the … Continue reading →

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By their actions…

Posted on November 8, 2013 by ianchisnall

The work of a constituency MP demands a great deal from one person, who is simultaneously expected to deal with some of the most difficult social issues in the lives of their constituents, appear statesperson-like in the House of Commons, and … Continue reading →

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5 weeks is a very long time in politics

Posted on November 7, 2013 by ianchisnall

The Gagging Bill is to be delayed for 5 weeks so that Ministers can “consult widely all of the interested parties, members of this House and the many others outside”. This is very good news, the “Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and … Continue reading →

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Questionable Financial Judgement

Posted on October 29, 2013 by ianchisnall

As a sophisticated economy, UK consumers have access to a number of mechanisms to help us manage our finances and the unexpected or unplanned demand which we face throughout our lifetimes. Some of these mechanisms are very crude and damaging, … Continue reading →

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The Inconsistency of Parliament

Posted on October 28, 2013 by ianchisnall

The failure by three Police Officers to give a fair, just and reasonable account of a meeting with Andrew Mitchell has cost all of us a great deal of money, let alone the deep reputational damage done to Policing. The Home … Continue reading →

Posted in Charities, Parliament and Democracy, Police & Crime Commissioner, Policing | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment