Groups urged to be wary of politicians

Contracts and relationships with the statutory sector could destroy
voluntary groups, a public policy think-tank chief has
warned.

Robert Whelan, deputy director of Civitas, said: “Voluntary
organisations should take no money from government and have as
little to do with politicians as possible. Voluntary organisations
are a vital part of civil society – through them we learn how we
can be the best kind of people we can be.”

He told a seminar organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs
that government wanted voluntary groups to do its work “on the
cheap”.