Latest news with #CharityCommission
The National
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The National
Scotland is giving this essential art the platform it has been denied
Although many hundreds – including some very big names – signed, several notable artistic directors of buildings I have worked in chose not to respond. Meanwhile, in Scotland, the prestigious Edinburgh International Festival has proudly programmed Ahmed Masoud's exceptionally powerful short play, The Florist Of Rafah, which is part of Cutting The Tightrope, a collection of pieces by 14 eminent playwrights that explore the art's and society's unprecedented censorship of Palestine. Cutting The Tightrope's journey from London to Scotland is a story of rags to riches. In May 2024, these short political plays went on in the small studio at the Arcola Theatre in East London as a totally unfunded rapid response piece. Put together in a fortnight, they were staged against the backdrop of Israel's decision to hold 2.3 million people hostage by closing their borders, while threatening to cross Joe Biden's 'red line' with a ground invasion of Rafah – an ancient city which a year later barely exists. Meanwhile, the Charity Commission's clause of 'political neutrality' had been so weaponised by Israeli lobby groups that Arts Council England (ACE) – an organisation that is supposed to protect artistic freedom – updated its policy guidelines to warn that anyone in a regularly funded arts organisation making 'political statements' could cause 'reputational damage' and therefore 'breach funding agreements'. READ MORE: 'Joy, celebration and warmth' of Palestinian art to be showcased at Edinburgh Fringe Although subsequently retracted, a FOI request revealed the statement had been made immediately after a meeting between ACE and the UK Government about Israel/Palestine and the message was clear: speak out and your organisation may lose government funding. The National Theatre, which had projected the Ukrainian flag on its building's expansive white wall, now chose to say nothing at all. Although Cutting The Tightrope's first run garnered rave reviews, and instantly sold out with long waiting lists, ACE still rejected a small bid made to transfer the show to the Arcola's main house. Its reason was revealing. It ticked the box that claimed other shows were 'more likely to make a difference', despite ours being the only show about the genocide playing to packed audiences, who yearned a creative space to unleash their grief and rage and find much-needed solidarity. I wonder what ACE now makes of our being selected by the International Festival to showcase the best of British theatre to an international audience. The very silence adopted by ACE and major English theatres to preserve their position has simultaneously made them even more irrelevant. By obeying the command to look the other way, they have lost the devotion of artists brave enough to speak out, imaginative enough to think outside the box and collaborative enough to together create phenomenally ambitious work against all odds. Aghast, these artists stepped into the void and used their talents to protest, creating work enormous in its necessity, bravery, emotional weight, urgency and impact – thereby attracting in droves the new young and truly diverse audience the theatre so needs to survive. After 19 months, an unstoppable new art movement has been forming across disciplines: a movement of rebellion. Like Dadaism emerging from the ruins of world war, this urgent movement is born from the ruins of Western values, placing solidarity, integrity and the artist's voice at its core. And where have these radical artists – penalised or ignored in most of the UK – found a platform? Scotland. Take Gaza Biennale – Jinnaah UK whose importance in celebrating, supporting and documenting more than 50 artists in Palestine confronting genocide cannot be overstated. Until recently, the current and lost artworks of these artists – who by facing erasure must surely be the most critical and precious of our time – were relegated to being projected by GB-JUK on to the walls of cultural institutions in London. In Scotland, however, three of their artists are currently being proudly displayed along the Edinburgh Pavilion. In one of Cutting The Tightrope's short plays, Dare Not Speak, a murdered girl, Hind, ends the play with a premonition that she will haunt the dreams of an artistic director. Sometimes I wonder, when watching the play, if there will soon be any artistic directors left to haunt, if mainstream English theatres continue to limp so feebly behind the politics of the day. Cutting the Tightrope will run from August 14 to 17 at the Edinburgh International Festival
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Princess Anne Makes Rare Joke About Brother King Charles: 'I Need to Say That'
Princess Anne joked that she needed permission from her brother, King Charles, to host her Charities Forum at Buckingham Palace The Princess Royal told the crowd, "We are very fortunate that His Majesty has allowed us to use Buckingham Palace for this event tonight — and I need to say that — it does help" The King and his sister have shown their close bond over the years, with Anne even serving a key role during her brother's 2023 coronationPrincess Anne kept it lighthearted while addressing a group of charities gathered to help ring in her 75th birthday. The royal, who invited representatives from over 100 organizations to Buckingham Palace for a forum ahead of her Aug. 15 birthday, delivered a speech to her 200-plus guests after hearing from charity leaders Sarah Woolnough of The King's Fund, David Holdsworth of the Charity Commission and Zoe Amar of Zoe Amar Digital. "I'm not here because this was my choice," the Princess Royal told the crowd. "You very kindly asked me to become patron of your organizations, so it's an honor for me to have all of you here." Then, slipping in a joke about her brother King Charles, she said, "I would just like to make the point that we are very fortunate that His Majesty has allowed us to use Buckingham Palace for this event tonight — and I need to say that — it does help." Anne's Charities Forum gathered on Friday, June 6, to discuss "challenges facing the sector, public trust in charities and the opportunities and risks presented by new technologies," the royal family shared on their official website. While the Princess Royal slipped some of her well-known dry humor into her speech, she also took the opportunity to thank the attendees, who were invited from the over 300 charities she supports. Representatives from both Save the Children and Riding for the Disabled — Anne's most longstanding patronages — were in attendance at the forum. "The responsibility and respect that you give to your own organizations, the people who work for you and your own beneficiaries, is perhaps the key to what makes you so important," she told the forum audience. "Respect and responsibility. Thank you very much for doing what you do." Anne and Charles have shown their tight bond over the years, including on one of the most important days in the King's life: his coronation. The Princess Royal attended the 2023 crowning of her elder brother and Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey, where she served as Gold-Stick-in-Waiting. Anne has held the prestigious role since 1998. The position is hundreds of years old, dating all the way back to the 15th century, when officers were tasked with keeping the monarch from harm by staying in close proximity. Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! Princess Anne led 6,000 armed services personnel to Buckingham Palace on horseback during the King's coronation day, which reflected the close relationship between the siblings, Anne's daughter Zara Tindall told PEOPLE at the time. "It's a busy time for them all, and her and her brother are very close, so it's a nice thing to do," Zara said. The King also showed his respect for his sister by making her a Counsellor of State after his accession in September 2022. The duty means that Anne can execute constitutional duties if the King is abroad or unwell. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Iran-linked Islamic centre rebuked over calls for Israel's destruction
An Islamic centre branded the 'nerve centre' for Iran in the UK has been reprimanded by the Charity Commission after posting videos calling for Israel's destruction. The Islamic Centre of England (ICE) has been issued with a formal order by the commission compelling its trustees to curb its online activity and future speakers. The commission launched a statutory investigation into ICE in 2023 after allegations that it was the London office of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). In 2020, the centre hosted a vigil for Qassim Soleimani, the head of the Guard, who had been killed in a drone strike. Seyed Hashem Moosavi, ICE's director, issued a statement on its website praising Soleimani as a 'great martyr'. A commission statement said it had issued the centre with a 'formal order under section 84 of the Charities Act, compelling the trustees to provide rigorous oversight of future speakers and online activity by the charity, among other actions'. The section 84 direction gives the commission additional powers to intervene during an inquiry where there is suspected misconduct or mismanagement. The move comes as Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, last week announced plans for new powers to proscribe the IRGC. Under the proposal, anyone helping or benefiting from a banned state intelligence agency will now face up to 14 years in jail. On Monday, David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, summoned the Iranian ambassador to be 'held accountable' after three Iranian asylum seekers were charged last Saturday with spying in the UK. Earlier this month, five Iranian men were arrested in connection with a suspected plot to mount a terror attack on the Israeli embassy in London. The Charity Commission says its action has been taken because of ICE's 'recent failure' to fully comply with directions set by Emma Moody, the interim manager appointed as part of its investigation. 'The commission considers these, and a range of other past breaches, mismanagement and misconduct in the administration of the charity. The trustees currently dispute some of these legal findings,' the regulator said. The commission said it would continue to monitor the centre's invited speakers, religious services and public-facing content. Former speakers have included Syeda Umme Farwa, a charity boss who was described by an Iranian media outlet as a 'jihadi lioness' and was awarded a prize by Ebrahim Raisi, the former Iranian president known as the 'Butcher of Tehran'. The commission said in a statement that the ICE trustees 'are instructed to ensure that all religious services, speakers and events further the objects of the charity and are in its best interests'. Despite repeated warnings, the Islamic Centre has continued to platform controversial figures. Earlier this year, the Jewish Chronicle revealed that the charity's YouTube channel still hosted videos from 2020 in which Ayatollah Khamenei, the leader of Iran, advocated 'multiple intifadas' to remove the 'cancerous tumour' of Israel. Other clips accused the US and its allies of manufacturing Islamic State and enslaving the world. Some of these have since been removed. David Holdsworth, the chief executive of the Charity Commission, said: 'The law requires, and the public expect, charities to operate exclusively for the public benefit... when a charity fails to operate in line with its legal duties we will step in to take action. 'We now expect the trustees to take the required action directed by the commission and will not hesitate to use further legal powers should that be necessary. 'The commission's statutory inquiry is ongoing. It is the commission's practice to publish a report setting out its findings, regulatory actions and conclusions once an inquiry has concluded.' The charity was, however, urged to go further. Col Richard Kemp, a former head of counter-terrorism in Afghanistan, said: 'This is merely a slap on the wrist. The commission needs to take decisive action now and shut it down. 'Iran and its allies pose a direct threat to Britain. The response so far has been to try and sweep it under the carpet. 'The threat we face from Iran is deadly serious. It is of the utmost importance that firm action is taken wherever we can. This is the opposite. It needs closing down now.' Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said the charity commission was 'dragging its heels' on holding the ICE to account as its inquiry into the centre still had not concluded after more than two years. 'This isn't the first time the Charity Commission has buried its head in the sand on these issues,' he said. A spokesman for the ICE previously said the centre was a 'purely religious and cultural organisation, which provides various services to the local communities'. The spokesman added: 'It is an independent charity regulated by British law, which is totally funded by the local beneficiaries. 'The majority of the trustees, donors, and attendees are British citizens. Indeed, this charity is nothing to do with politics, while we strongly believe that the politically motivated lobbies are trying to drag the charity into their political disputes.' An Islamic Centre of England spokesman pointed to a statement on the discharge of an interim manager which said this was an 'important milestone' in its 'governance journey'. The statement said: 'The centre must ensure that it continues to deliver its religious preachings and observes its spiritual doctrines, and meets the requirements of our beneficiaries, while also ensuring legal and regulatory compliance. 'The centre cannot be insulated from world events, however, it is committed to maintaining its independence from political interference, and delivering its religious and educational charitable purposes. 'The centre plays a pivotal role in ensuring we operate in a way which respects all faiths, and where we allow our own faith to continue to be used for good, peacefully and without harm.' By Chris Philp Britain faces a growing and dangerous threat from the Iranian regime. It funds terror across the Middle East and beyond – arming Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, enabling Shi'a militias in Iraq and Syria, and is providing deadly drones to Putin's forces in Ukraine. The tentacles of the Iranian state stretch out to our very own soil here in the United Kingdom. Earlier this month, three Iranian asylum seekers were charged with spying for Tehran and plotting to inflict 'serious violence' on UK-based journalists working for Iran International, a dissident media outlet. It came just days after another Iranian asylum seeker was one of five arrested over a plot to attack the Israeli embassy. This is a stark illustration of how malign foreign actors are exploiting our asylum system to further their own agenda. But it is only part of a broader pattern of Iranian aggression. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is behind a sustained campaign of cyber attacks, disinformation, and intimidation of Iranian dissidents on our streets. The Labour Government said they would proscribe this group. Labour have now been in office for nearly a year, so why have they not yet done what they said? And there is growing evidence of potentially dangerous Iran-linked influence within UK charities and so-called community organisations. Yet the Charity Commission is dragging its heels on taking meaningful action when it comes to taking on organisations that try to undermine British values and sow division. Take their investigation into the Islamic Centre for England, which opened after a director claimed that those protesting against the Iranian regime were 'soldiers of Satan' – it still hasn't been concluded after more than two years. This isn't the first time the Charity Commission has buried its head in the sand on these issues. The Islamic Human Rights Commission Trust has been under an ongoing investigation for several years, despite being run by self-declared Islamist revolutionaries closely aligned to Iran who say that the West is 'the enemy' and Britain a 'Stasi state'. And last year, the Dar Alhekma Trust and its sister charity, the Abrar Islamic Foundation, based near Regent's Park, were placed under police investigation after one of their trustees allegedly praised the former IRGC commander Qasem Soleimani as a 'hero'. The commission has bizarrely paused its review while the charities deny any wrongdoing. This is not good enough. The commission must be more proactive. The public deserves to know why groups with apparent links to terrorist sympathisers continue to operate freely under the banner of charity. Its job is not simply to wait for criminal prosecutions – it is to protect the integrity of the charitable sector from exploitation by extremists and foreign regimes. It's time they started acting like it. And it's time for the Labour Government to get serious too. The Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, announced by the previous Conservative government, has been implemented which is a welcome first step. However, we need real enforcement, real transparency, and real consequences for those who break our laws or abuse our hospitality. Small boat crossings have increased by almost 30 per cent under Labour – 2025 is the worst year ever for such crossings. Labour voted against our amendment to deport all illegal migrants. It is shameful that the Government is not taking the action needed on this issue. This is not just about illegal immigration, it is about our national security. Action against Iran also means shutting down any UK-based charities found to be linked to hostile states or extremist causes. It means denying visas to Iranian regime officials and suspected collaborators. It means expelling diplomats involved in threats, intimidation or espionage. And it means providing meaningful protection to journalists and dissidents targeted by Tehran. We cannot afford to be complacent. Britain must not be a safe haven for the proxies of a state that funds terror, murders dissidentsand seeks to undermine the very freedoms we cherish. The Conservative Party has always stood for the security of this nation. We will not be silent while this government drags its feet. Chris Philp is the shadow home secretary Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. 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Leader Live
22-05-2025
- Business
- Leader Live
West End's Seven Dials Playhouse to be investigated over financial concerns
The Charity Commission has launched a statutory inquiry into the charity organisation which provides facilities for the arts, including discussions, seminars and vocational training, as well as theatre productions. The inquiry will allow the commission, an independent Government department that regulates charities in England and Wales, to determine the extent of any misconduct or mismanagement and any risk to the charity. Last year, the creative hub decided to sell its central London property which prompted concerns around its finances and management. The commission has been engaging with the organisation since then and assessed its financial concerns as part of a regulatory compliance case. The regulator said it raised concerns about significant risks to the charity's funds after several revised drafts of a business plan failed to give reassurance about the theatre's long-term financial viability. The new inquiry will investigate whether the trustees have complied with their legal duties in the administration, governance and management of the charity. The scope of the inquiry may be extended if additional regulatory issues emerge during the commission's investigation, according to the regulator. A statement from Seven Dials Playhouse said: 'We are disappointed by the decision to open a statutory inquiry into Seven Dials Playhouse, particularly at such a pivotal time for the organisation. However, we fully intend to co-operate and support the Charity Commission in every way possible as they carry out their investigation. "Seven Dials Playhouse has sold the long-term lease on its home, enabling the organisation to enter an exciting period of development, and to continue providing opportunities for people to collaborate on bold, creative, high-quality work."1/2https:// — Seven Dials Playhouse (@7DialsPlayhouse) December 9, 2024 'We must also acknowledge that the existence of the inquiry itself, especially the public nature of its announcement, has the potential to cause reputational harm. Nonetheless, we will continue to do everything possible to provide transparency, clarity and co-operation throughout this process.' It added that the organisation completed the sale of its building in September 2024 to 'generate new revenue streams and build a sustainable future, following the collapse of the old membership and training model'. In December 2024 the charity organisation said in a website post that it had 'struggled' since it reopened in February 2022, 'due to the ongoing ramifications of Covid-19'. It added: 'Selling the lease means that the organisation can clear substantial debt associated with purchasing the lease in 1994 and other historical debt accrued as The Actors Centre (its former name).' The creative hub launched a new business plan in April. The site at 1A Tower Street is set to launch its new Pride season in June in both the venue's spaces, The House and The Pen.
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
West End's Seven Dials Playhouse to be investigated over financial concerns
West End theatre hub Seven Dials Playhouse is to be investigated by a charity regulator due to concerns over its long-term financial viability. The Charity Commission has launched a statutory inquiry into the charity organisation which provides facilities for the arts, including discussions, seminars and vocational training, as well as theatre productions. The inquiry will allow the commission, an independent Government department that regulates charities in England and Wales, to determine the extent of any misconduct or mismanagement and any risk to the charity. Last year, the creative hub decided to sell its central London property which prompted concerns around its finances and management. The commission has been engaging with the organisation since then and assessed its financial concerns as part of a regulatory compliance case. The regulator said it raised concerns about significant risks to the charity's funds after several revised drafts of a business plan failed to give reassurance about the theatre's long-term financial viability. The new inquiry will investigate whether the trustees have complied with their legal duties in the administration, governance and management of the charity. The scope of the inquiry may be extended if additional regulatory issues emerge during the commission's investigation, according to the regulator. A statement from Seven Dials Playhouse said: 'We are disappointed by the decision to open a statutory inquiry into Seven Dials Playhouse, particularly at such a pivotal time for the organisation. However, we fully intend to co-operate and support the Charity Commission in every way possible as they carry out their investigation. 'We must also acknowledge that the existence of the inquiry itself, especially the public nature of its announcement, has the potential to cause reputational harm. Nonetheless, we will continue to do everything possible to provide transparency, clarity and co-operation throughout this process.' It added that the organisation completed the sale of its building in September 2024 to 'generate new revenue streams and build a sustainable future, following the collapse of the old membership and training model'. In December 2024 the charity organisation said in a website post that it had 'struggled' since it reopened in February 2022, 'due to the ongoing ramifications of Covid-19'. It added: 'Selling the lease means that the organisation can clear substantial debt associated with purchasing the lease in 1994 and other historical debt accrued as The Actors Centre (its former name).' The creative hub launched a new business plan in April. The site at 1A Tower Street is set to launch its new Pride season in June in both the venue's spaces, The House and The Pen.
