MCF and Acevo slam cancellation of Conservative conference event

Charity chief executives’ association Acevo and the Muslim Charities Forum have condemned the cancellation of their scheduled event at the Conservative Party conference, apparently sparked by an article in the Sunday Telegraph.

The umbrella groups were to host ‘Faith and British Values: The Muslim Charities Question’ at the conference in Manchester tomorrow, but an article in Sunday’s Telegraph said organisers have cancelled the event after the newspaper raised questions about the MCF and one of the speakers. Acevo said the organisers had not been informed of the cancellation and had to hear of it through the press.

The article claimed six MCF members have links with the Union of Good, “a designated terrorist organisation created to fund the militant group Hamas”. The article referred to Human Appeal, whose CEO Othman Moqbel was to speak at the event, as a “Hamas-linked charity”. It also claimed events co-hosted by the charity in 2011 were attended by “Hamas supporters and hate preachers”.

However, the MCF has issued a statement strongly rejecting the claims and expressing disappointment at the “one-sided and misleading allegations” contained in the article.

MCF operations manager Omayma El-Ella said no MCF member is a member of the Union of Good, has a political purpose, or is involved in political work. She said the allegations in the article were based on sources with no credibility and who had an agenda designed to undermine Muslim charities.

“All MCF members are registered with the Charity Commission of England and Wales, and by default abide by charity law as well as by rules, practices and processes expected of UK registered charities. They are purely humanitarian organisations, dedicated to alleviating poverty and promoting sustainable development around the world and work with the notion that humanitarian imperative comes first, that aid is given regardless of race, creed or nationality and that aid should not be used to further a political or religious standpoint.”

Acevo said the article’s claims may be tested by legal action. Acevo and Human Appeal intend to proceed with the event in some form in Manchester during the conference.

The association’s chief executive Sir Stephen Bubb said the “astonishing” decision to cancel the debate is “a deeply disturbing development” that “alienates rather than involves”.

“In the fight against terrorism to ignore any engagement is to fight with one hand tied behind the back. We need to support Muslim charities’ role in community leadership against extremism not reject them,” Bubb said. “Indeed, the speakers scheduled for this event are figures of national consequence.”

“Do the inquiries of one journalist lead to a policy of panic that leads to the cancellation of debate without reference to any of the parties concerned? Without doubt this debate raises many difficult issues – but do we walk on by and ignore them or engage with them? Astonishing.”

Conservative Party spokespeople had not responded to requests for comment at time of publishing.

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