National Trust could become more woke following chairman's resignation

The National Trust could become more woke following the resignation of its chairman, according to insiders, amid demands for his successor to be elected by its 5.6 million members.

Tim Parker’s decision to quit was announced just 24 hours after a rebel group of members had laid out plans to force him out at this year’s annual general meeting.

There have been concerns that the National Trust has been pushing a so-called ‘woke’ agenda that includes publishing a report last year into the links between its properties and Britain’s colonial history and slavery.

However, sources insist Mr Parker acted as a bulwark against a "progressive" wing of the charity.

The insider said: “Parker was always very sceptical around the National Trust, attempting to become too progressive. He was always very firm that it should remain non-political, and keen for it to become as businesslike as possible.”

The National Trust said Mr Parker had already served two three-year terms and agreed to a third “exceptional term” to oversee the charity through the Covid-19 crisis.

The charity began attracting criticism during the regime of its previous director-general Dame Helen Ghosh, who ran the charity from 2012 until 2018.

Her successor Hilary McGrady courted controversy when overseeing the publication of a 115-page report which blacklisted 93 of its estates over their links to slavery, including Sir Winston Churchill’s home at Chartwell in Kent.

Critics allege that influential senior managers and advisers have pushed a more politicised agenda and want a new chairman to try to curb any future projects that might be seen to be straying outside the National Trust’s traditional remit, in preserving historic properties and countryside and keeping them open to the public.

The National Trust said Mr Parker had already served two three-year terms and agreed to a third “exceptional term” to oversee the charity through the Covid-19 crisis.

It is understood that the controversial report into colonial connections at Trust properties was commissioned by the charity’s influential Curation and Experience Department under the management of John Orna-Ornstein, a museum specialist, who was appointed in 2017.

The original project was launched in 2018 and the final report published last year to an outcry.

In August 2020, Mr Orna-Ornstein said the Black Lives Matter movement had made the Trust “realise that we need to go much faster” in addressing colonialism and slavery.

Sources suggested Mr Parker had little direct involvement and remained “remote” from this area of work.

Conservative MPs have called for the next chairman to be elected by the charity’s members and said the successful candidate needed to keep the Trust’s management under a stricter watch.

Sir John Hayes, the chairman of the Common Sense Group of around 60 Conservative MPs, said the next chairman should overhaul the board to remove any "Metropolitan glitterati".

He said the new chairman had to be "grounded in commonsense" and push back against any fads or trends, adding: “The next chairman has got to recognise that the Trust has lost its way and needs to return to the principles upon which it was founded. The maintenance and promotion of our heritage isn’t about the faddish preoccupation with all kinds of trendy, right-on causes and campaigns.”

Andrew Murrison MP, a former minister, said he was worried that the new appointment would be “stitched up” by the other board members.

Mr Murrison said that the successful candidate had to be put forward to an “approval” vote at the charity’s AGM on Oct 30 this year, in the same way that Parliament is allowed a confirmation hearing for senior public appointments.

He said: “Most people would be surprised that some input from the membership was not in place already in choosing the chairman.

“We need a high profile chairman who can hold his or her own, who has a proven track record, will listen to the members and also be sympathetic to the extremely dedicated workforce.”

Restore Trust, a group of disaffected members who were planning to table a motion calling on Mr Parker to resign, said it wanted the recruitment process to be as open as possible. A source said: “We want an open process so we can see the shortlist.”

A National Trust spokesman said the appointment would be made by the National Trust Council which is made up of 36 members who have a range of expertise in everything from education and agriculture to nature and the built environment.