So the results are pretty much in as this goes to press. The Conservatives have stormed to victory and Labour has been condemned rather than Con-Dem-ed to another five years in Opposition. Most people predicted a hung parliament, with many suggesting that Ed Miliband might make a bold move to become PM even if he didn’t lead the largest party back into Westminster. With charities planning for what should have been a predictable Commons layout, and at least some praying for Ed’s reds to take power, what now for those best laid plans?

We’ll be talking about several things in the aftermath of this election, but for now here are just three things that might be running through the minds of charities.

The Lobbying Act – here to stay

The Labour Party described it as “the gagging law” and “an attack on democracy” in their manifesto, guaranteeing they would drop it like third period French if elected. With a Conservative majority, the law is here to stay for at least the next five years.

I’m sure charities hadn’t banked on a Labour government, let alone the law’s repeal, but now that chance is gone all charities will need long term plans and processes for the Lobbying Act, particularly those that delayed a decision until after the election. We’ve been fairly scathing about this law before and our research shows only 15% of the public feel that charity lobbying should be restricted. One thing is for sure – the Lobbying Act is going nowhere, so charities will need to react.

Scotland might have changed forever

Nicola Sturgeon has reiterated that this election was not about a second referendum, but who knows how politics in Scotland will now change? We all know it will, it has to. One in 13 MPs now belongs to the SNP and charities will have to adapt their approach north of the border as the Labour party runs for the hills of Berwick-upon-Tweed. This changing landscape could put Labour at a serious, long term electoral disadvantage unless they can somehow overturn the SNP.

So how will charities approach this new situation? Certainly, dealing with a majority Conservative government in Westminster and appealing to the SNP north of the border are challenges few could have envisaged a few months ago.

Conservative manifesto planks

The Conservatives pledged a few new charity policies in the manifesto. Perhaps most interestingly, the Tories will enshrine in law that anyone working for a company with over 250 employees will be entitled to three full paid days off a year to volunteer for good causes. It prompted the age-old cry of “how will we pay for this?” from their Labour counterparts, but it must be said that this is an interesting idea. Once you cut through Conservative rhetoric taking credit for volunteering being at a ten year high, it means, quite frankly, a lot more volunteers.

By my calculations from government figures, there are 9,800 businesses with the requisite number of employees, meaning just shy of 2.5 million new volunteers. Clearly, not everyone will volunteer, but then there are often more than 250 people at each one. Whether there is take-up or not is one for the future, but millions of new volunteering days is an exciting and perhaps daunting prospect for charities up and down the nation. Charities will need to make plans for this and take proactive steps to appeal to those potential new workers. Is it affordable? Given charities aren’t footing the bill, I don’t imagine they’ll care.

We’ve all been gripped by this election at nfpSynergy HQ and will continue to be as the day unfolds. Whatever the result, there were bound to be big changes and we’ll be releasing more on those going forward. As ever, we’ll also be monitoring public opinion on charities, along with those of the new and existing MPs navigating Westminster’s winding corridors.

One thing is for sure though, as David Cameron meets with the Queen at Buckingham Palace, Eds will roll at Labour HQ.

Are we telling the right Tory here? Or have we Labour-ed the point? Leave us a comment below with your own thoughts about what's first.