The charities watchdog is considering fresh evidence in a complaint about a soup kitchen linked to Reform UK candidate Mark Butcher and his use of its premises for his campaign.
Butcher was a trustee at the Amazing Graze soup kitchen but stepped down in April, after the Charity Commission began an assessment into the launch of his Blackpool South by-election campaign at Amazing Graze.
The complaint concerned Facebook posts showing him shaking hands with Reform UK leader Richard Tice, with Reform UK publicity to the side, and inviting people to join him as he “hits the campaign trail”.
Charity Commission guidance says charities can take part in political activity that “supports their purpose and is in their best interests”. However, it adds that charities “must remain independent and must not give their support to a political party”.
Both Amazing Graze and Butcher deny any wrongdoing.
Butcher, who remains a volunteer at Amazing Graze, is continuing to use its premises for his general election campaign.
A further complaint has been lodged with the Charity Commission about a Facebook video from Butcher4South on 18 June showing three women at Amazing Graze preparing letters to be sent out.
A male voice refers to different areas of the Blackpool South constituency.
“We’ve done Grange Park and now we’re back here, what are we doing? Layton?” The video ends with the man saying: “Vote Reform UK.”
The complainant writes to the Charity Commission: “They are still using the Amazing Graze premises for campaigning purposes.”
A Charity Commission spokesperson confirmed that further concerns had been raised with it and are being assessed.
“We have an active compliance case into Amazing Graze to assess concerns raised about support for a political candidate, and are engaging with trustees,” said the spokesperson.
Charities can rent out facilities to a candidate for a public meeting but as a “normal commercial hire”, unless the trustees decide to charge a different rate. However, the charity “must not encourage support for any particular parties or candidates”.
The Charity Commission spokesperson said it assessed concerns against a risk framework before deciding whether to take further action. It has not opened a statutory inquiry into Amazing Graze.
The spokesperson added that the law is clear that a charity cannot support a political candidate or party.
Amazing Graze and Butcher did not respond to requests for comment. But in response to The Blackpool Lead’s story in April, Abbie Butcher, secretary and safeguarding officer of Amazing Graze, said the charity has stayed independent and has never advocated voting for Reform UK.
She said Reform UK has rented available space for the campaign.
She referred to Charity Commission guidelines for renting facilities and said Amazing Graze would have welcomed any party offering a service fee to use its building.
She said the Charity Commission guideline that a charity “may publish the views of candidates in local and national elections where these views relate to the charity’s purposes” supported Amazing Graze’s stance.
Also in April, Butcher’s spokesperson told The Blackpool Lead that Butcher had resigned as an Amazing Graze trustee “despite legal advice stating that this was unnecessary”, adding: “He did this to protect the reputation of the soup kitchen and its activities in helping the poor and homeless in Blackpool.
“It was not required because at no point has Amazing Graze supported Mr Butcher’s candidacy.”
Our features, investigations and essays are available to subscribers first.
We want to back into journalism. Lend us a hand, and get our weekly newsletter and magazine editions in your inbox, for free.
