‘Once great’ National Trust should be proud of Churchill
JACOB Rees-Mogg has blasted the National Trust for not realising “how wonderful” Winston Churchill was.
The Commons Leader described the conservation charity as a “once great organisation” and claimed many of its members are “resigning in protest”.
His remarks came after the National Trust revealed how 93 of the properties it looks after have links to historic slavery and colonialism.
Properties with connections to people involved in colonial expansion, including leading figures in the East India Company, or senior figures in administering colonies, including Winston Churchill’s home Chartwell, are included in the survey.
Conservative MP Tom Hunt (Ipswich) said the inclusion of Chartwell has caused “great anger” for some of his constituents.
He told the Commons: “They see Winston Churchill as arguably the greatest Briton there ever was.
“Will (Mr Rees-Mogg) find time to debate Churchill’s legacy and the man that he was and how we should be proud of him, and how we should push back upon the left’s attempts in their determination to try and denigrate his past?
“And also would (Mr Rees-Mogg) take into account the concerns that many of us have about our onceloved and currently loved national organisations being increasingly influenced and taken over by wokeist elements?”
Mr Rees-Mogg replied: “(Mr Hunt) is absolutely spot on.
“We should be so proud of our great heroes in this nation like Winston Churchill.
“And an organisation like the National Trust should be honoured that it has Chartwell amongst its portfolio of properties.
“And it should remember that its properties were given to it by people who expected them to be custodians of our history, to be proud of our history, and to think well of our great nation, not to be shamefacedly quietly hiding away, pretending that they are abashed about the greatness that this country has enjoyed over so many centuries.
“It is sad that a once great organisation, a membership organisation that owes a duty to its members – many of whom I hear are now resigning in protest – cannot realise how wonderful a man like Churchill was and he is not alone.”