Lisa Nandy MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Civil Society, commenting on David Cameron’s flagship Big Society Network being investigated by the Charity Commission over allegations that it misused government funding and made inappropriate payments to its directors, said:

“It’s bad enough that millions of pounds of public money were squandered, but the connections between these organisations and the Conservative party are deeply concerning.

“I am writing to Cabinet Secretary Jeremy Heywood to ask him to investigate the process by which the grants in question were given. We must know if political pressure was applied to give an organisation with close ties to Ministers special treatment.          

“At a time when many charities are fighting to survive, handing out large sums of money to flawed, pet projects is inexcusable.”

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