Huda Ammori Secures Supreme Court Permission to Challenge Palestine Action Ban

Huda Ammori, a former member of the UK Parliament and former chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party, has secured permission to take a legal challenge to the ban imposed on the charity Palestine Action. The Supreme Court has granted her application to appeal the decision of the Charity Commission, which deemed Palestine Action a “political organisation” and prohibited it from receiving charitable funding. Ammori argues that the ban violates her right to freedom of expression and the charity’s right to operate within the law.

The case centers on the Charity Commission’s interpretation of the 2011 Charities Act, which requires charities to maintain a “charitable purpose” and prohibits political activity that could jeopardise public trust. Palestine Action, which campaigns for Palestinian rights and has been involved in public demonstrations and lobbying, has contested the Commission’s findings, claiming that its activities are within the permissible scope of charitable work. The Supreme Court’s decision to allow the appeal brings the dispute into the highest judicial forum in the UK, underscoring the tension between regulatory oversight of charities and the protection of political expression.

If the Supreme Court ultimately upholds the ban, it would reinforce the regulatory framework that limits political activity by charities, potentially affecting other organisations engaged in advocacy. Conversely, a ruling in favour of Ammori could broaden the scope for charities to participate in political discourse, setting a precedent for future cases involving the intersection of charitable status and political campaigning. The outcome will be closely watched by both the charitable sector and civil‑rights advocates.