Gwythian Prins

Gwythian Prins is an academic who sits on the board of Britain's Charity Commission.

Background

From the Cabinet Office website announcing his appointment in May 2013 to the board of the Charity Commission:

Gwythian Prins is Research Professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He is also visiting professor at the University of Buckingham. For over 20 years he was a Fellow in History at Emmanuel College, Cambridge and latterly University Lecturer in Politics. Much of his work has been in Africa or on strategic matters. During the latter 1990s he served as Senior Fellow in the Office of the Special Advisor on Central and Eastern European Affairs, part of the Office of the Secretary-General of NATO, Brussels. He is currently a member of the Chief of the Defence Staff’s Strategy Advisory Panel. He has published on African history, medical anthropology, European politics and on military and strategic issues.

Views

On criticism about the Charity Commission's board

Prins 'discounts observations' from some in the charity world that the Charity Commission's new board [appointed May 2013] has insufficient experience of the sector. In an interview with Third Sector magazine he said:

Its members are there because of a personal commitment, he says, and are well able to understand the charitable activities of the country.

It's a very vigorous board," he says. "Few of us know how it was before, but the commission is back to being what it should be - an intelligent and humane regulator. Done properly and effectively, regulation is the single best way to protect and comfort traditional charities. We have to deter the bad guys and thereby reinforce the good guys.

The commission has been through a stressful and confused period, including budget cuts, he says, but is now being rebalanced to make sure it is "on the front foot for front-line tasks". The board has set its priorities, including action against terrorist infiltration, fraud and those who exploit the privileges of being a charity or predate on vulnerable beneficiaries.

"We will also take a view about charities keeping their campaigning within their charitable objects and purposes," he says. "Problems arise when charities push the envelope, and some have recently been in the public eye because of this. If a charity campaigns about matters that appear to be outside its objects, then naturally we will look at it.

The weather has changed on this front. The public expects charities to stick to their knitting, to use an old-fashioned phrase. There's huge affection for charitable activities involving the giving of time and money. I agree with my neighbour in the village coffee shop: this is something that has to be protected and cherished."