Misleading Reports.

[Hairyloon]

How big a deal is it if a charity makes a dishonest statement in their annual report?
Is it anybody's business but their members?
What could, or should be done by:
a) members, or
b) concerned citizens.

[atticus]

Has anyone mentioned the Charity Commission? That body is the official regulator of charities.

[Hairyloon]

Yes, but I am not certain that this is a matter that falls under their jurisdiction. This is not a question of fiddling the numbers, but of the reasons for the spending: if they fall within the pursuit of the charity's objects, then I think the Charity Commission would not be interested.
I don't know that though, which is why I asked.

[shootist]

How important is lying? Not in the slightest if you are happy living in a world of liars. I think that lying is possibly the worst crime of all, not the least because it is so commonplace that it is often ignored.

[Hairyloon]

How important is lying? Not in the slightest if you are happy living in a world of liars. I think that lying is possibly the worst crime of all, not the least because it is so commonplace that it is often ignored.

Well put, but you and I do not write the laws. It would be the rankest of hypocrisy for Parliament to pass laws against lying... So that leaves us none the wiser.

[atticus]

Laws have been passed against lying. Not lying generally, but in a number of types of circumstance.

[Hairyloon]

Laws have been passed against lying. Not lying generally, but in a number of types of circumstance.

Yes, fraud for example, but lies simply to cover up a wrongdoing are the meat and drink of politicians*.

{* I was going to preface that with "many", but since we have formally accepted that politicians lie as the normal state of play, I don't think it necessary. However, I believe there are some here who oppose the decision of our democratically appointed overlords so I include this disclaimer for their benefit.}

[dls]

Charities have a duty to file an annual report with the Charity Commission. That includes statements on certain matters. If the lie/mistake is with regard to one of those matters then the CC will be interested.

[Hairyloon]

If the lie/mistake is with regard to one of those matters then the CC will be interested.

Hard to see how it can have been a mistake, unless the treasurer was lied to. But it relates to compounding a mistake made originally by the Charity Commission themselves, so it may prove interesting to see how they investigate it...

[atticus]

We have "formally accepted" no such bollocks, hairy.