Citizens Advice staff ‘displaying Palestinian flags’ at virtual meetings

Jewish employees concerned at alleged visible Gaza conflict-inspired activism by charity workers

Citizens Advice staff have been accused of using Palestinian flag backgrounds during virtual meetings.
The advice organisation is under investigation by the charity watchdog after Jewish employees complained that colleagues’ pro-Palestinian activism breached “political impartiality” rules.
The Charity Commission launched a “regulatory compliance case” into Citizens Advice, after claims that staff circulated calls to boycott companies linked to Israel among colleagues.
Staff at the charity are required to maintain political impartiality, but some Jewish employees have raised concerns about the “intimidating effect” of alleged pro-Palestinian advocacy at work, including staff wearing the Palestinian flag on lanyards.
Some Citizens Advice staff reportedly circulated a petition calling for a boycott of products from the computer supply company Hewlett-Packard (HP) last July.
An email reportedly sent to staff at the advice organisation claimed that HP was “complicit in violations of Palestinian rights” by helping to run a biometric ID system that Israel uses to restrict Palestinian movement.
UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), which has been supporting concerned employees at Citizens Advice, contacted the charity to request an internal investigation in September.
In a letter to the charity’s chief executive Dame Clare Moriarty, UKLFI set out alleged multiple breaches of its charitable objectives and UK law, and requested that the organisation investigate them. It also called for appropriate disciplinary action against the employees involved.
The letter claimed that the call to boycott HP had been signed by “many” Citizens Advice employees, including senior staff.
Employees at the charity stand accused of violating official guidance which prohibits charities from engaging in political activity unrelated to their charitable purpose.
A spokesman for the Charity Commission confirmed to The Times that it was investigating the advice organisation.
They said: “Concerns have been raised with us over alleged actions by staff at the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux.
“We have opened a regulatory compliance case to allow us to engage with the charity’s trustees and gather more information.”
Citizens Advice offers impartial advice to people with legal, debt, consumer, housing and other problems. Its network of charities helped 2.6 million people last year.
UKLFI also claimed that some of the workplace activism appeared to involve Citizens Advice staff who were members of the Unite union.
Staff report that some union members at Citizens Advice appear to have been “encouraged” to set their virtual meeting backgrounds to feature the Palestinian flag and to wear lanyards decorated with the flag.
A dossier compiled by UKLFI showed a woman, allegedly a Citizens Advice employee, sitting in front of a Palestinian flag.
She was also wearing a jumper featuring the word “Palestine” in bold lettering.
UKLFI claims that the above activities create “a hostile atmosphere for those with protected characteristics” as well as for “other individuals with whom CAB interacts, including third parties and clients”.
Dame Clare, in a letter to UKLFI, said: “We will consider the matters you raise and whether any steps need to be taken as a result. This will… be an internal matter for the charity.
“I can assure you that the charity takes inclusion and the prevention of prejudice and discrimination very seriously, and this is reflected in the way in which we, as a charity, operate.
“I can also assure you that the charity does not adopt a corporate position on the war in Gaza or engage in political activities that are not intended to further its objects.”
Caroline Turner, a director at UKLFI, which also notified the Charity Commission, said: “It is very concerning that this issue has arisen and I hope that now that Citizens Advice has been alerted to it, they will crack down on unauthorised behaviour at work.”
A Citizens Advice spokesman told The Telegraph: “We want to be a service where everyone is comfortable coming to us for help, and a workplace where everyone feels they belong.
“As an impartial and independent organisation, we take allegations of prejudice and discrimination very seriously.
“This is reflected in the way we operate, including the steps we take to consider internal issues like those raised.
“We continually review and revise our equity and inclusion practice to ensure we uphold our values in all that we do.
“Recognising that people will hold their own personal opinions, we work hard to ensure workplace behaviours and discussions adhere to our internal policies and align with our organisational purpose and values.”
Unite has been approached for comment.