The woke chairman of Britain’s National Trust has resigned ahead of moves to oust him at the heritage organisation’s upcoming annual general meeting.
The Restore Trust group, formed in response to soon-to-be-former National Trust chairman Tim Parker’s efforts to inject the ethos of Black Lives Matter and other social justice left style causes into the work of the massive state-backed conservation charity — the largest in all Europe — had prepared a motion calling for his removal amid claims that “morale among volunteers and members is at an all-time low”.
“The National Trust leadership has frequently been out of step with its members and supporters over recent years,” read a copy of the motion quoted by the Telegraph, noting the fact that the Trust was being critically discussed in Parliament and subject to investigations by the Charity Commission, largely as a result of Parker’s activism, at a time when it was faced with severe challenges due to the Chinese coronavirus pandemic.
“Unnecessary controversies have threatened to undermine the charity’s simple duty to promote public enjoyment of buildings, places and chattels under its protection,” the motion said, insisting that “fresh leadership” would be required in order to “regain the nation’s confidence”.
The controversies in question include the Trust’s decision to compile a “shame list” of buildings under its stewardship with supposed links to slavery and colonialism, including the home of wartime prime minister Sir Winston Churchill, its attempts to force all volunteers to submit to so-called “inclusion” training on diversity and such dubious concepts as “unconscious bias”, and asking young children to pen poems disparaging the British Empire as part of the so-called Colonial Countryside Project.
“We are pleased that Mr Parker has decided to resign as National Trust chairman, following the publication of our motion of no confidence in him that would have been put to this year’s Annual Meeting,” a spokesman for Restore Trust told the Telegraph.
“His position was clearly untenable given everything that has happened and the current crisis of confidence in the National Trust amongst its staff, volunteers and members,” they added, calling for Parker’s replacement to be someone “with a deep understanding and appreciation of our nation’s heritage” and urging trustee’s to ensure the process of selecting them is “an open and accountable process”.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.