Farage Accuses Hope Not Hate of Violating Charity Rules
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has accused the far-left organization Hope Not Hate (HnH) of violating charity regulations by allegedly engaging in political activities related to the upcoming Makerfield special by-election.
Hope Not Hate, regarded as “Britain’s leading campaign group against the far right,” has been active in the campaign for the June 18 election. This election was triggered by the resignation of former MP Josh Symonds, an anti-Breitbart activist, which subsequently allowed Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to vie for a seat in Parliament and challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has been struggling.
Far-left groups often engage in election campaigns, and in this case, attempts were made to tarnish the reputation of the right-wing candidate, Robert Kenyon, a local plumber and army reservist for Reform UK. Allegations include sharing old social media posts to media outlets that are willing to amplify controversial narratives.
Farage sent a letter to the Charity Commission, raising concerns that HnH was actively participating in the election campaign. He mentioned that the group was allegedly creating flyers that support Labour Party candidate Andy Burnham, which appeared designed to sway voter opinions. The leaflets included a note urging readers to scan a QR code to “join your local fight for reform,” which Farage deemed clearly politically motivated.
Farage also questioned HnH’s structure, noting it consists of two different entities: a charity and a campaign group. While legally distinct, there have been past questions regarding their independence, particularly around the HOPE Unlimited Charitable Trust, which received a government grant from a previous Conservative administration.
He noted that a significant portion of HnH funding comes from grants, stating that their annual report indicated a substantial dependency on these funds compared to other charitable activities.
This year, the Charity Commission closed a case without action against HnH after examining long-standing complaints about its political affiliations. While they acknowledged the trustees made distinctions between their two entities, they criticized the time taken to address concerns.
Joshua Farbridge from the Charity Commission said that charities can participate in politics, but they must ensure their campaigns don’t turn into party politics. He recognized that HnH had made some progress in this area, but he maintained that monitoring would continue.
Farage contended that the Campaigning at Makerfield indicated a failure on part of HnH’s trustees to ensure the charitable funds were used appropriately. He argued that HnH’s sponsoring of political activities constituted a clear conflict of interest and violated Charity Commission regulations.
Moreover, he pointed out that many of HnH’s directors have affiliations with the Labour Party, suggesting a close connection with the ruling Left Party. Even when the group shows left-wing tendencies, it was notably supported by the previous Conservative administration, indicating an apparent inconsistency in political alignments regarding the threat of extremism in the UK.
In response, HnH CEO Nick Rowles labeled Farage’s accusations as an attempt to divert attention from legitimate scrutiny concerning the Makerfield candidate. He highlighted that recent investigations revealed troubling comments made by the candidate about women, asserting that the electorate deserves to understand who is seeking their votes.
Rowles expressed disappointment that Farage seems to lack diligence in vetting his own candidates, suggesting that any complaints filed against HnH would not impede their campaigning efforts.
