The National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux (Citizens Advice) is investigating concerns raised regarding political campaigning and actions within the organisation that appear to contravene its charitable objects and UK law.
UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) requested the investigation into widespread breaches of the Charity Commission Guidelines and the Equality Act 2010 by staff at Citizens Advice. Many have been openly supporting Palestine at work, in breach of the organisation’s obligations to be neutral and impartial.
Jewish employees have raised concerns with UKLFI about the intimidating effect of working with colleagues who wear Palestine lanyards, use Palestine flags as backdrops for their virtual meetings, and call for boycotts targeting Israel.
Citizens Advice employees have circulated a petition calling for a boycott of Hewlett Packard (HP) products, following a call from the Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC), an organization whose members include designated terrorist groups such as Hamas and the PFLP.
UKLFI has pointed out that this petition, which is political in nature, violates CAB’s charitable objects, as outlined in the Charity Commission Guidelines, which prohibit charities from engaging in political activity unrelated to their charitable purpose.
Several other instances of political activism by Citizens Advice staff have been reported, including posts on social media by Citizens Advice employees, featuring pro-Palestinian messages and imagery.
UKLFI highlighted a specific incident where a Citizens Advice employee displayed a “Charity Workers for Palestine” banner, implying the organisation’s support for the Palestinian political cause. UKLFI has reminded Citizens Advice that these issues are outside the charity’s remit and breach the Charity Commission’s political impartiality guidelines.
UKLFI is also concerned about potential harassment under the Equality Act, particularly towards Jewish and Israeli staff. Jewish employees have reported being distressed by political symbols and messages supporting Palestine during virtual meetings, with some staff displaying Palestinian flags as meeting backgrounds or wearing lanyards featuring the flag.
UKLFI wrote to the chief executive of Citizens Advice, setting out multiple breaches of its charitable objects and UK law, and requesting that the organisation investigate them. UKLFI urged Citizens Advice to take steps to prevent future breaches of the Charity Commission Guidelines and the Equality Act, and appropriate disciplinary action against involved employees.
Claire Moriarty, chief executive of Citizens Advice, has launched an investigation of these breaches.
She wrote to UKLFI: “We will consider the matters you raise and whether any steps need to be taken as a result. This will, as you will appreciate, be an internal matter for the charity. I can assure you that the charity takes inclusion and the prevention of prejudice and discrimination very seriously, and this is reflected in the way in which we, as a charity, operate. I can also assure you that the charity does not adopt a corporate position on the war in Gaza or engage in political activities that are not intended to further its objects.”
Caroline Turner, director of UKLFI commented: “It is very concerning that this issue has arisen and I hope that now that Citizens Advice has been alerted to it, they will crack down on unauthorised behaviour at work.”