A charity set up to support children and young people with disabilities has been found to allocate a significant portion of its grants to rightwing think tanks, causing uproar among campaigners. The Street Foundation, which purports to assist those with disabilities, has channelled 43% of its funds over the past five years to organisations promoting contentious political agendas.
The revelations were brought to light by the Good Law Project, which exposed that out of the total funds disbursed by the foundation, £749,000 was given to rightwing pressure groups. These groups have engaged in activities such as advocating for the privatisation of disability benefits, questioning the legitimacy of mental health issues, and calling for the abolition of the Equality Act—actions that could directly undermine protections for disabled individuals.
Among the recipients was the New Culture Forum, which received £250,000 from the foundation. This think tank has been vocal about its stance against the Equality Act, a cornerstone of disability rights in the UK. It has also faced criticism for its views on immigration and climate change.
Another beneficiary, the Institute of Economic Affairs, received £55,000 and has been involved in diminishing the significance of mental and back health issues, suggesting that individuals could forgo public support in favour of private disability insurance.
The allocations have sparked considerable concern among disability rights advocates. Dan White, a policy and campaigns officer at Disability Rights UK, expressed his dismay, noting that “it’s shocking that a charity that claims to meet the needs of disabled children, has given 42% of its grants in the last five years to political think tanks.”
Further complicating the picture is the source of the foundation’s funding. The majority comes from the HR Smith Group, an aerospace company with ties to military suppliers, which has also made significant political donations to parties and campaigns advocating for conservative causes.
Richard Smith, CEO of the HR Smith Group and a prominent figure on the foundation’s board, has been a notable donor to the Conservative Party and is associated with multiple rightwing organisations based out of Tufton Street—a known hub for such groups.
The disclosures have prompted Jo Maugham, executive director of the Good Law Project, to criticise the Charity Commission for its lack of oversight, stating that this situation highlights a troubling trend of charitable funds being used for political ends rather than the intended humanitarian purposes.
As of now, the Street Foundation and the involved think tanks have not responded to requests for comments on these findings. The controversy raises serious questions about the integrity of charitable giving and the transparency required in the funding of political advocacy.
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