The Charity Commission has appointed an interim manager to the Islamic Research Foundation International as part of its investigation into governance concerns.

The concerns centre on the charity funding the TV channel Peace TV, which has been stripped of its license in the UK after breaching broadasting rules.

In May communications watchdog Ofcom found that the channel “contained hate speech and highly offensive content'.

A statutory inquiry into Islamic Research Foundation International was opened by the Charity Commission in April into its administration, governance and trustee decision in funding Peace TV despite breaching Ofcom’s code.

The interim manager appointed by the regulator is Virginia Henley of Hewitsons LLP due to the Commission retaining “serious concerns about the administration of the charity”.

Henley’s role will be “take on the running of the charity to the exclusion of its trustees including acting as manager of the charity’s property and affairs”.

The regulator added: “She will also be tasked with considering the future viability of the charity.

“Interim managers are appointed as a temporary and protective measure where the Commission has identified misconduct and/or mismanagement in the administration of a charity, or where there is a need to protect a charity’s property.”

Earlier this month the Charity Commission launched a new online charity register to help the public gain a greater insight into how charities are run.

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