(Immediate release 26 July 2010)

The Charity Commission, the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, has published a regulatory case report on its investigation into the Atlantic Bridge Education and Research Scheme (“Atlantic Bridge”), (registered charity no. 1099513).

The investigation looked at whether Atlantic Bridge is properly established and registered as a charity, whether its activities are capable of advancing education for the public benefit and whether it has engaged in any inappropriate political activity.

The Commission concluded that, although Atlantic Bridge is a charity with exclusively charitable purposes and is capable of operating for the public benefit, its educational objects have not been advanced by its activities because of the way in which it has promoted the ‘Special Relationship’ between the US and the UK. The promotion of the Special Relationship is not the purpose of the charity and nor can it be. Although it is legitimate for a charity to study, research or educate the public about the ‘Special Relationship’, it is not permissible for a charity to promote a particular pre-determined point of view.

The Commission also concluded that the charity’s activities may lead members of the public to call into question its independence from party politics. The Commission has made clear to the trustees their legal and regulatory responsibilities and that the way that Atlantic Bridge currently carries out its activities must cease immediately. The full findings of the Commission’s investigation are set out in the report published today.

The Commission has provided the trustees with regulatory advice and guidance on their obligations under charity law. As a result of the Commission’s intervention, the trustees have committed to undertake a wide-ranging governance review over the next year and report back to the Commission within two months of its completion.

The Commission’s report also highlights issues for the wider sector. These include an explanation of the requirements in charity law for educational charities. This section also stresses that charities must remain independent from political parties at all times.

Ends.

Full details of the investigation can be found on the Charity Commission’s website. For further information, please contact the press office.

PR 51/10

Notes to Editors

1. The Charity Commission is the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales. See www.charitycommission.gov.uk for further information or call our contact centre on 0845 300 0218.
   
2. Our mission is: to ensure charities’ legal compliance, enhance charities’ accountability, encourage charities’ effectiveness and impact and to promote the public interest in charity.
3. The Commission conducts two kinds of investigation cases. Most concerns are dealt with through non-statutory investigations called 'regulatory compliance cases'. However, in cases of significant risk and more serious regulatory concern we may open a statutory inquiry under section 8 of the Charities Act 1993. The decision to open a statutory inquiry will be based on a number of factors, including evidence of serious suspicion of misconduct or mismanagement in the administration of the charity and/or risk to property. The criteria we use are set out in our Risk and Proportionality Framework for the Commission's compliance work.
4. More information about the Charity Commission's Compliance Division can be found in Charities Back on Track, a report on the themes and wider issues arising from the Commission's compliance work. This can be found on the Commission's website.