Former minister reputedly bidding to steer the National Trust
Former Conservative cabinet minister Rory Stewart has applied to become chairman of the National Trust, it was reported yesterday.
The 126-year old charity, which runs some of Britain’s finest properties, has been forced to defend itself against claims it has developed a “woke” agenda in recent times.
It is claimed Stewart, from Perthshire, is being seen by rebel members as someone who’d focus on its roots looking after historic buildings, artefacts and the countryside. Stewart, 48, former secretary of state for international development, is understood to be seeking to replace Tim Parker who resigned in May.
The role, the most senior among the charity’s 50,000 volunteers, is unpaid. The successful candidate will be announced later this year. The National Trust, separate from the National Trust for Scotland, declined to say who had applied.
A rebel group, Restore Trust, wants new members appointed. There was anger among some when the trust published a report linking its properties, including the home of Winston Churchill, to Britain’s colonial past. They said: “Our members feel the National Trust, specifically senior leadership, has lost its way.”