In the news last week...26 February
Take a look at all the charity sector headlines from the last week
Our Researcher Mairéad Bailie surmises the biggest headlines from last week.
Baroness Stowell as chair of the Charity Commission
The government’s preferred candidate for the role of chair of the Charity Commission, Baroness Stowell, has been rejected unanimously by MPs on the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee. Last week, chief executives of the Directory of Social Change, Acevo, the Charity Finance Group, Navca and Children England called on Matt Hancock, the culture secretary, to halt the appointment of Baroness Stowell as the next chair of the Charity Commission because ‘it would damage public trust in the regulator’. However, the government has decided to press ahead with the appointment of the Conservative peer as chair of the Charity Commission.
*Stowell is expected to be confirmed in post today.*
Oxfam update
- Oxfam Great Britain has been temporarily suspended in Haiti pending an investigation into how the charity handled the case of former staff paying for sex.
- Theresa May has confirmed that the UK will not cut aid in wake of the Oxfam crisis.
- Sexual abuse scandals have been revealed at several aid organisations after the Times newspaper reported Oxfam had tried to hide the use of prostitutes by staff in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake.
- Oxfam GB is one of 22 charities that have pledged to boost safeguarding and have called on people to report unacceptable behaviour.
