If you’re a member of the National Trust then your help is needed to save it from the woke ideologues who are currently in charge and seem set on undermining it as a guardian of the nation’s heritage.
AGM voting is now open and it is essential that the right people are elected to the Council to keep the trust focused on what it is supposed to be doing and not getting diverted – and diverting resources – into fashionable and contentious ideological schemes that undermine its core purpose.
Restore Trust – a politically independent group that wants the National Trust’s focus and priorities “not to be driven by modish, divisive ideologies but rather solely by its noble mandate… to preserve buildings, interiors, artefacts, gardens and countryside, whilst making these places accessible to all” – recommends former Supreme Court Justice (and Lockdown Sceptic stalwart) Jonathan Sumption, Philip Gibbs, Andrew Gimson, Violet Manners and Philip Merricks for election to the Council.
Restore Trust has also put forward resolutions calling for the abolition of the undemocratic Quick Vote and the restoration of Clandon Park, still a ruin after the fire of 2015.
National Trust members, MPs and ministers have grown increasingly concerned over the trust’s leadership after it published a report in 2021 into the links between its properties – including the home of Winston Churchill – and the U.K.’s colonial and slavery past.
Following widespread criticism of the report, the Charity Commission opened a “regulatory compliance case” and the Heritage Minister told Parliament that the report was “unfortunate” and the trust should go back to its “core functions”.
At last year’s AGM Restore Trust published a rebel motion that called for the resignation of then-Chairman Tim Parker after he described Black Lives Matter, which in the U.K. has called on the Government to “defund the police”, as a “human rights movement with no party-political affiliations” in a letter to a member.
The motion stated:
Unnecessary controversies have threatened to undermine the charity’s simple duty to promote public enjoyment of buildings, places and chattels under its protection. As a result, morale among volunteers and members is at an all-time low and the National Trust has suffered, both financially and reputationally. The National Trust needs to regain the nation’s confidence, and will need fresh leadership to achieve this.
Mr. Parker resigned before the motion could be put to members.
There was further controversy in 2017 when it emerged that the Trust had tried to force volunteers at a Norfolk mansion to wear the gay pride rainbow symbol on lanyards and badges.
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I wish Lord Sumption and colleagues well in their endeavours but as I am not a National Trust member I cannot assist. Why am I not a member – for the very reasons Sumption is fighting against? And of course because I am not in favour of giving money to charities.
Donations to charities are just secondary taxation for the gullible.
Donation to Charity, yes.
True charity, true help your neighbour stuff? Rare. Rare indeed.
I agree, though in this case you do get to visit their buildings and grounds, so it’s not wholly a gift.
I’ve been thinking of joining because I like visiting those kinds of places, though have been put off by the wokeness. Perhaps I should join so I can vote. An expensive vote!
I have tons of respect for Sumption. To stand against his world, true strength.
But he needs to be educated about mRNA.
And also MRNA, the ticker symbol for MODERNA.
He has an uphill struggle. As I understand it they have amended voting to “make it easy for members” where they are recommending a committee (themselves) and to “make it easy for the members,” the voting system rigged so a single box with their committee recommendation can be ticked by all those members who haven’t been following things closely and don’t know the resumé’s and policies of the individual candidates. So that’s all the more reason for right minded members to take action and back Sumption.
Yep, already voted following an article I read in the Telegraph. It is _very_ easy to accidentally use the Quick Vote button and not vote for the candidates of your choice but as long as you are alert it is OK.
They have set it up so there is a single box to vote for the “recommended” candidates. Both myself and my wife have voted for Jonathan Sumption, Philip Gibbs, Andrew Gimson, Violet Manners and Philip Merricks. Best of luck to them all.
I am no longer a National Trust member …. because of the woke takeover – and I’m not inclined to pay £70 (or whatever it now is) in order to vote.
There are plenty of private gardens/houses in the west country to visit, if I’m so inclined. And I’d rather give them my money than an arrogant, woke Quango.
Is Lord Sumption awake to the Climate Change “Hoax” yet. Not a good reason not to support him here and I wish him all the best but, with all the literature and authoritative books around on the subject cannot find any excuse for him.
Have cast my vote for those members’ resolutions.
Yikes, save the National trust???? How about saving humanity? There will be no national trust without people Jonathan.
Saving the National Trust is one small step in the journey to saving humanity.
National Trust has long become Just a Property company
I spent a good hour last night going through all the candidates statements and, aside from those mentioned above and couple of others, I found myself repeatedly asking ‘Are you for real?’ I hope most are just saying what they think will get them elected, but fear that many may actually believe the woke / Net Zero / EDI mantras they’re spouting.