What does this mean in practice?

This means that Scottish charities can, where it advances their purposes, carry out activities that seek to:

• influence government, both central and local
• respond to, promote, oppose or support legislation
• petition and otherwise seek to change public policy
• support or oppose a policy advocated by a political party (but not support or oppose the party itself)

Charities can distribute information or engage in debate about the policies of political parties or candidates where these activities are ways of achieving their charitable purposes.

While charities may choose to engage in political debate, as a charity trustee you must make sure that this activity is in pursuit of the charitable purposes. You must also bear in mind a charity trustee’s general duty to act in the interests of the charity. Among other things this means that you must consider any potential reputational impact on your charity.