The charity Oxfam has been criticised after entering into a UK political debate on austerity. Critics are claiming that a new poster by the charity is openly left-wing line on domestic UK issues, and uses rhetoric similar to that of the Labour party.
The poster features an image a turbulent sea and says: “The Perfect Storm. Starring: Zero Hours Contracts, High Prices, Benefit Cuts, Unemployment, Childcare Costs”
The charity previewed the poster on Twitter with a provocative tweet claiming it was “lifting the lid on austerity Britain”.
Lifting the lid on austerity Britain reveals a perfect storm – and it’s forcing more and more people into poverty. pic.twitter.com/2MzzyMXcsU
— Oxfam (@oxfamgb) June 6, 2014
The poster quickly drew criticism from political commentators
I won’t be giving to @OxfamGB again. I want to help the poorest people of the world, not finance left-wing politicshttps://t.co/RIbZqBA4eY
— Tim Montgomerie (@TimMontgomerie) June 10, 2014
Conservative MP Conor Burns also revealed that he has written to the Charity Commission over the poster. The MP described it as “highly political”.
I have written this morning to the Chairman of the Charity Commission asking them to investigate Oxfam’s highly political advertising
— Conor Burns MP (@Conor_BurnsMP) June 10, 2014
According to a report by the TaxPayers’ Alliance, Oxfam receives nearly £16m of government money through the Department for International Development
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