Charities should be allowed to use all their resources to campaign politically, according to a report from the advisory group on campaigning and the voluntary sector.

Chaired by Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, the group’s report also recommends a total overhaul of the laws governing campaigning including the Communications Act 2003 and the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005. It warned that the ban on broadcasting advertising by political organisations should be repealed.

“Charity trustees should be free to decide to engage exclusively in political campaigning in furtherance of their charitable purposes,” the report said. “A charity should not have limits placed on the resources that can be committed to political campaigning activities.”

Speaking to Charity Times, Ed Miliband said the report was an important contribution to the debate.

Animal Defenders International, already mounting a legal challenge to the Communications Act’s ban on political advertising, welcomed the report. “The legal restriction on campaign groups is patently unfair, in that companies can advertise their green credentials but campaign groups cannot challenge what they say,” said chief executive Jan Creamer. “We hope the government takes note.”