In a report presented to the United Nations Human Rights Council, UN experts criticised the Lobbying Act for its ‘chilling effect’ on civil society and its unequal treatment of charities compared to businesses.
The UN Report on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association (A/HRC/35/28/Add.1) recommends the UK Government:
(f) Clarify the definition of “regulated activity” under the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014 by introducing the notion of “actual intention”, and proceed with care at the implementation level;
Disability Rights UK expressed its concerns at the time the Lobbying Act was going through parliament
We felt that it would severely restrict the ability of charities to campaign during the period running up to a General Election.
Sue Bott, then Policy and Development Director for Disability Rights UK said, at the time:
‘I find it deeply concerning for our democracy when the government feels the need to try and stop charities, even small charities, from having a say on the issues that concern them and their members. What do political parties have to fear? We are also concerned about how little attention this has received in the media.”