The Countryside Alliance, Restore Trust & the Pro Hunt 2023 National Trust AGM Vote
The National Trust AGM 2023 is almost upon us, and the Countryside Alliance are already rallying their cronies to gain pro-hunt influence within the newly elected council.
National Trust AGM election and voting: what do you need to know?
Hunting has been a thorn in the National Trust’s side for years now.
After the National Trust tried (and failed) to keep both sides of the issue happy by allowing “legal” trail hunting to continue on their land, the hunting community’s arrogance eventually did for them.
With repeated evidence of illegal hunting and the now infamous “smokescreen” webinar leaks outing them as a liability to landowners, having already suspended licenses, the National Trust was forced to ask its members whether they were in favour of trail hunting being banned for good.
The result was a landslide. A decisive, resounding yes.
At the charity’s annual general meeting a huge majority (76,816 members) voted in favour of a trail hunting ban on National Trust grounds, with just 38,184 voting against it.
Fast forward to today – 2023… The pro hunting lobby are, once again, trying to win influence with a view to getting hunting back on the agenda (and on National Trust land.)
In early September, The Countryside Alliance published this “helpful resource” regarding the upcoming elections. Let’s translate their careful copywriting…
“We remain concerned that the Trust’s Council is not fully representative of those whose lives the organisation can affect the most”
Translation: “There still aren’t enough pro hunting members on the Trust’s Council!”
“On the basis of the information we have about the candidates standing for election, we suggest that you consider voting for the following five candidates”
Translation: “These are the candidates that have told us their values align with ours…”
“We believe all five candidates have the skills and experience which would help to create a more representative NT Council.”
Translation: “These candidates will be an asset to the Countryside Alliance (and its pro hunt agenda.)”
“We are reluctant to offer further advice relating to other candidates where there is a lack of certainty regarding their views on matters which are so important to our members.”
Restore Trust and The National Trust AGM
Where do Restore Trust come into this? Well, their list of recommended candidates looks remarkably similar. Make of that what you will…
How Should You Vote In The National Trust’s AGM?
Vote with your heart – we recognise that issues pertaining to the National Trust are varied and people will feel passionately about more than one of them.
However, if you’d like to help ensure that animals can still find sanctuary on National Trust land, if you’d like to be able to take your family rambling over Exmoor’s Hornicote estate without encountering firearm-wielding stag hunters, if you’d like to be able to sit quietly and observe wildlife at peace in some of our most beautiful and historic landscapes… maybe give the following a miss?
Philip Gibbs
Violet Manners
Jim McRobert
Michael Salter-Church
Philip Merricks
We’re currently working to identify any publicly anti-hunt candidates – however, in the meantime, you can safely assume that a vote for any of the names on the Countryside Alliance’s dream roster is best avoided.
VOTE HERE: Voting closes at 11:59pm on Friday 3 November 2023