After losing two of the three votes at the annual general meetings, Rebel National Trust members have pledged to continue ‘war upon woke and PC gibickry’

  • Rebel National Trust members lost the first salvo in the war on PC gimmickry’
  • Restore Trust promised to fight on, despite having lost two of three resolutions during the meeting 
  • Members are angry at the ‘blacklisting’ of properties due to alleged slavery links










Rebel National Trust members narrowly lost the opening salvo in the ‘war against woke and political rightness’ yesterday, thereby dividing traditionalists from modernisers.

After narrowly losing two of the three resolutions at its annual general meeting in Harrogate (North Yorkshire), Restore Trust (RT) was formed by a group of campaigners who wanted to preserve the conservation charity’s traditional values.

Lucy Wood, a retired museum curator who is also a member of RT, said to The Mail on Sunday that ‘I hope these ballots have given National Trust a massive wake up call. These resolutions were defeated by the chairman’s discretionary votes.

A Trust insider stated that the rebels were a privately funded campaign’ that was opposed to the spirit of the charity’s rules.

Ms Wood had previously accused the bosses, of an “arrogant abuse” of many properties in its care by gimmickry with their presentation, neglect and increasingly acting like a money-making company rather than a conservation charity.

Anti-hunting activists demonstrate outside the National Trust AGM at the Harrogate Convention Centre on October 30, 2021

Anti-hunting activists protest outside the National Trust AGM at Harrogate Convention Centre, October 30, 2021

Neil Bennett, one the directors of RT, stated last night that he wanted to see a change in direction for the National Trust, a leadership change, and a change in attitude.

“It has become a political vehicle, where mandatory diversity training is the norm.

“I was contacted in an interview by a lady who had spent 20 years showing people around properties. She told me that her “version of history” was no longer needed.

“The senior management wants to present an alternate history and have become very Maoist in their behavior.”

But Hilary McGrady, director-general of the Trust, gave members a ‘cast-iron guarantee’ the board will protect properties and their heritage, revealing that it will spend more than £360 million on houses, gardens and collections over the next three years.

Ms McGrady stated that she loves this country and its rich history. “It is an honour and privilege to lead the organization that is entrusted in caring for it, and that’s why we have been increasing our conservation every year. The meeting was called to ban trail hunting on National Trust land. This was in response to fears that it could be used as a smokescreen for chasing and killing foxes.

The National Trust has been embroiled in a battle with a splinter group called Restore Trust (RT) whose members have become enraged by the way some of its properties have been 'blacklisted' over alleged links to colonialism and slavery. Pictured, Chartwell House in Kent

The National Trust has been embroiled in a battle with a splinter group called Restore Trust (RT) whose members have become enraged by the way some of its properties have been ‘blacklisted’ over alleged links to colonialism and slavery. Pictured at Chartwell House, Kent

Although trail hunting is legal, the motion’s authors stated that there is overwhelming evidence to support the conclusion that trail hunting is a cover to hunt with dogs.

Restore Trust, which claims to have a £50,000 war chest and about 10,000 present and former Trust members in its ranks, had backed six candidates for vacant positions on the 36-seat governing council, with three being voted in.

Three resolutions were supported and supported by RT. Two of them, regarding the treatment of curators or volunteers, were defeated by approximately 2,500 votes each.

The third, which was to disclose in detail the pay of senior staff at the National Trust, was supported by an overwhelming majority (around 120,000).

The Trust supported the motion nonetheless because it was ‘confident that it had already complied with resolutions, effectively meaning that nothing will be different.

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