The Independent on Sunday reported today that 12 members of the right-wing religious charity CARE (Christian Action, Research and Education) are working as researchers and assistants within the House of Commons. Having this priviledged position allows the researchers to influence MPs, to spy on what they are doing and to network with other religious extremists.

CARE is anti-gay - it opposed the repeal of the appalling "section 28" legislation introduced by Margaret Thatcher
 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/prosection-28-christians-investigated-over-breach-of-charity-law-715646.html

CARE is anti-abortion - it runs "CareConfidential" - an anti-abortion network
 http://www.careconfidential.com/AboutUs.aspx

The MPs involved are:

Stephen Crabb - Conservative  crabbs@parliament.uk
Paul Burstow - Liberal Democrat  burstowp@parliament.uk
Steve Webb - Liberal Democrat  webbs@parliament.uk
Andy Reed - Labour  reeda@parliament.uk
Gary Streeter - Conservative  streeterg@parliament.uk
Alistair Burt - Conservative  burta@parliament.uk
David Burrowes - Conservative  burrowesd@parliament.uk
Caroline Spelman - Conservative  spelmanc@parliament.uk

(4 MPs have not yet declared the presence of CARE "researchers" in their offices)

CARE is a charity, regulated by the Charity Commission. The rules of the Charity Commission state:

"A charity must not give support or funding to a political party, nor to a candidate or politician."

If you're concerned about this infiltration, contact the MPs on the e-mail addresses above and contact the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, John Lyon. The e-mail address is:  lyonj@parliament.uk

The article about this can be read here:

 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/exclusive-rightwing-christian-group-pays-for-commons-researchers-802607.html