On naming the trustees of Campaign Against Antisemitism

The request was refused by Charity Commission for England and Wales.

Dear Charity Commission for England and Wales,

To the Charity Commission

What were the specific grounds by which the Campaign Against Antisemitism was given dispensation by the Charity Commission from publishing the names of its trustees, as stated by the Charity Commission in response to Freedom of Information Request ‘1163790 - Campaign Against Antisemitism’ (https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/1...).

In the Charity Commission’s response, they state that they consider the information confidential, because it “refers to information obtained from other parties and if disclosed, there is likely to be an actionable breach of confidence.”. I am asking for information which would explain how a list of names of trustees would disclose information obtained from other parties.

Yours faithfully,

Ian Fantom

FOI Requests, Charity Commission for England and Wales

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Rosie Burdekin, Charity Commission for England and Wales

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Fantom

Please find attached response under the Freedom of Information Act 2000

Yours sincerely

Rosie Burdekin

Freedom of Information Officer

RIGA Team

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Dear Rosie Burdekin,

Thank you for your response. It was of course not a reply to my Freedom of Information Request, but merely a restatement of the rules. I had specifically asked about the third parties which you mentioned in your answer to a previous Freedom of Information Request, which I had referred to. In your response to me you ignored the issue of 'third parties' and referred me to rules, and they do not mention third parties. The only possible reason given in the rules linked to is given by: "For a whole board dispensation our considerations will relate to why or how being a trustee of that particular charity places any trustee of that charity in personal danger." So I infer that you consider all the trustees of CAA to be in personal danger, owing to confidential information coming not from the trustees themselves, but from third parties.

The fact that someone requests confidentiality does not necessarily mean that they are entitled to confidentiality, especially where the public interest is concerned. Here there is very clearly a public interest. According to Powerbase: "Several people involved in the CAA have strong links to pro-Israel campaigning. Jonathan Sacerdoti formerly worked for the Zionist Federation[46], while Joseph Cohen founded the Israel Advocacy Movement.[47] In 2014 Mandy Blumethal described herself as 'very active in' West Midlands Friends of Israel.[48]". Clearly, the present or past CAA trustees have not taken adequate steps to guard their own confidentiality, and therefore the Charity Commission has no reason under its own rules to refrain from naming them on the Charity Commission website. Furthermore, this entry clearly reveals that the CAA is a political organisation, which may well be the real reason for hiding their identities. I should also point out that, as you undoubtedly know, the CAA is regularly putting the safety of targeted individuals and groups at risk, by mobbing attendees of meetings. In the case of my group, Keep Talking, that had nothing to do with antisemitism, and if it had, that would not have warrented a violent attack on a 74-year-old in throwing him down to the ground.

I would be grateful if you would now answer my Freedom of Information Request regarding the third parties.

Yours sincerely,

Ian Fantom

RIGA Casework (Queue), Charity Commission for England and Wales

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Fantom,

Please see attached letter for our review of your FOI request.

I apologise for the delay in providing a response.

Yours sincerely,

Lucy Breakspere

Complaints and Freedom of Information Manager

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