Back in 2012 Fraser Nelson warned that Brown was putting his people into the Charity third-sector. Sure enough the usual suspects from the taxpayer-subsidised charity mafia will tomorrow try to pull off one of their coordinated outrage media hits. They will have a pop at Tory MP Conor Burns for having the cheek to suggest that charities like Oxfam, who take a significant chunk of public money for their international efforts, should butt out of domestic politics. The well-heeled public affairs team at Friends of the Earth have got a collection of Labour sleepers to sign a letter to the Times which will be published on Monday morning. They will claim that they are all very ‘concerned’ that attempts are being made to ‘stifle charities’. They deliberately miss the point that this is ‘concern’ about the government awarding money to organisations that then use that cash to lobby the very same government. 

Guido was particularly amused when  he had a little look at the signatories to Monday’s letter. Just how independent is Joe Irvin from the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action? Well he used to be a Special Adviser to John Prescott and a member of the Number 10 policy unit under Labour…

Kate Allen of Amnesty International? Well she was sleeping with Ken Livingstone for long enough…

How about Alexandra Runswick from Unlock Democracy? Proud Labour member. 

Surely Tony Dykes, from those UK-based experts Action for Southern Africa, is alright?  Nope, the former Leader of Camden Council. (Labour).

Guido feels he is being a bit unfair labelling all these concerned do-gooders as Labour supporters. At least Jon Nott, the General Secretary of the Woodcraft Folk, is a Green. The same cannot be said of Martin Drewry  from Health Poverty Action who is another proud Labour supporter.

Leaked emails reveal that the now much maligned Oxfam have had a hand in making this letter happen. Their Policy and Communications Manager, Richard Pyle, has been encouraging old friends, colleagues and fellow travellers to sign up. Let’s have a peek at some of his ‘likes’ and interests on Facebook, shall we?

– Wes Streeting for Ilford North (Labour PPC)
– Derek4Europe (Derek Munn a Labour MEP candidate for Scotland)
– Pam Duncan (who ran for Labour selection in wait for it…Falkirk)
– Kirsty4Europe (Kirsty O’Brien, a Labour MEP candidate for Scotland)
– LGBT Labour
– Luke Pollard (Labour PPC in South West Devon in 2010)
– David Miliband
– Peter Mandelson
– Tony Blair

And, lest there be any doubt:

– I’m supporting Labour at the General Election

You have to wonder how switched on Oxfam’s Policy Manager really is when he ‘declares war on unemployment’ in the same week that employment reaches a record high. It’s worth noting who is really driving this hysterical outrage bus. Hint: it’s party political.