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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Patrick Butler Social policy editor

Samaritans accused of stifling dissent and bullying over branch closure plans

A Samaritans poster
A Samaritans poster outside Lime Street station in Liverpool. The charity has plans to shut as many as half of its 200 UK branches. Photograph: Paul Quayle/Alamy

Samaritans has been accused of bullying behaviour and shutting down dissent after suspending a number of senior volunteers who spoke out publicly against its controversial plans to close as many as half of its 200 UK branches.

The mental health charity suspended at least two of its branch directors and one former branch director on Tuesday, 48 hours before its annual general meeting.

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