National Trust Vs Right Wing Restore Trust

voted yesterday. each candidate standing for election has space for a small bio so that you can read who they are, and what they've done in the past and so forth. Not one of the candidates of Restore Trust use the space to announce their involvement in that organisation.

Which says something to me, at least.

Haven't voted yet, but intend to this week.

Not one of the candidates of Restore Trust use the space to announce their involvement in that organisation.

You're right, says everything.

Being 'woke' at the national trust amounts to just recognising the true history of some of these properties, not 'cancelling Britishness'.
These people are clearly too spineless to actually reveal that their motive is to keep history nice and white washed.

Did you see that some supporters of the Restore Trust are using the hashtag #empirestrikesback on twitter 🤦‍♂️

So, what, they're Palpatine and the forces of Darth Vader?

Sounds about right

Haven't read it ,who is the most bike friendly?

Not one of the candidates of Restore Trust use the space to announce their involvement in that organisation.

Yes, it seems odd that Stephen Green doesn't mention it in his diatribe/supporting statement. His spiel is an absolute gem, if any of the other 45 candidates hold similar views they're being a lot more circumspect about it.

Stephen Green is the leader of Christian Voice he's been accused  by his former wife of (amongst other things)  domestic abuse. Seems an ideal candidate, and a lovely bloke...

Restore Trust list which candidates they back as below...so makes it very easy to know exactly who to avoid.

Michael Goodhart

Stephen Green

Min Grimshaw

David Pearson

Andrew Powles

Guy Trehane

45 candidates hold similar views they’re being a lot more circumspect about it.

The countryside alliance tried pulled a similar trick years ago trying to reverse the ban on hunting on NT land. Their candidates on the whole didn’t announce their real agenda either.

The NT are starting to integrate the interests of multiple user groups into the management of their land but it's a slow process.

Stephen Green also lobbied against the marital rape legislation - so comes as no surprise he doesn't want the trust to focus on the history of female oppression and the suffragettes.

Wow he's a real piece of work eh https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Voice_(UK)

From Wiki:

After the appearance of Green on Question Time in September 2005

Wow. Not exactly due diligence on the part of the producers there.

Basically the UK equivalent of the Westboro Baptist Church given a national audience.

Being ‘woke’ at the national trust amounts to just recognising the true history of some of these properties, not ‘cancelling Britishness’.

Not everyone agrees with the constant focus on the ills of the Atlantic slave trade and colonialism. The politicisation of the NT if you like.

Wow. Not exactly due diligence on the part of the producers there.

Well...

https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/ourbeeb/is-question-time-s-audience-producer-really-fascist/

The politicisation of the NT if you like.

Funny world we are in where telling the truth in a balanced way is seen as politicisation.

Not everyone agrees with the constant focus on the ills of the Atlantic slave trade and colonialism. The politicisation of the NT if you like.

It's not political to be asking that the history we are presented with is fair and balanced. It's not political to point out that people who were honoured and enriched were also responsible for the slaughter and enslavement of hundreds of thousands of human beings. It's not political to want to be able to point out to visitors that the beautiful houses and gardens they enjoy were paid for by theft and plunder and with the lives of innocent victims.

Not everyone agrees with the constant focus on the ills of the Atlantic slave trade and colonialism

Aside from that isnt really the case is it? They havent painted over the properties with "brought with proceeds from slave trade" but are simply acknowledging how those properties were funded.

The politicisation of the NT if you like.

By accurately reporting what happened? The ones politicising it are those demanding that only their whitewashed version of history is acceptable.

Not everyone agrees with the constant focus on the ills of the Atlantic slave trade and colonialism.

Sure but when a good percentage of the buildings in your care were built using the proceeds of businesses that used slavery, were compensated hugely when slavery was abolished allowing them to buy more land (and enclose it) and otherwise generally wouldn't exist...You owe it to people to help them understand that don't you?

The history of most of Britain's stately home stock is indelibly and inextricably linked with slavery, it's amiss not to tell the story of that.

but are simply acknowledging how those properties were funded.

And what possible difference does that make to anyone?

The 'woke-turn' of the NT also goes further than highlighting colonial links; staff who didn't want to wear rainbow badges being taken off visitor-facing duties and staff are being forced to undergo 'unconscious bias' training.

Utter bollocks, any evidence of that?

You have to remember for a lot of these people, these land owners (Churchill is a prime example) are their hero's, they adore them and what they stand for. So when someone comes round and say that not only are they not a heroic as you'd like, we're also going to tell people about it, it get their goat somewhat.

Think of them as like Lance Armstrong fans prior to the Oprah interview...

And what possible difference does that make to anyone?

That they go away from their day out a wee bit more educated than when they went in? Scary thought I know...

That they go away from their day out a wee bit more educated than when they went in? Scary thought I know…

Perhaps the NT should give them maths lessons too?

staff are being forced to undergo ‘unconscious bias’ training.

Exactly how is this a bad thing?

Note that Min Grimshaw is one of the Restore Trust plants and also in the committee's recommendations, so don't just copy what they suggested.

So why do these links need highlighting to visitors who just want to enjoy a day out?

So just remove all references to the history all together or only the ones that make you uncomfortable?

Still waiting on the evidence …..

staff are being forced to undergo ‘unconscious bias’ training.

And what's wrong with that exactly?

Tempted to join the NT just to vote against RT - Stephen Green sounds thoroughly unpleasant to put it mildly..

So why do these links need highlighting to visitors who just want to enjoy a day out?

If they just want to enjoy a day out then they dont need to bother reading the informational boards and leaflets etc.
If they do want to do so though isnt it best that they get to find out the bad as well as the good about the buildings?

And what’s wrong with that exactly?

Firstly, I'm uncomfortable with the idea that my subconscious is the business of my employer. Secondly, the unconscious bias training itself is scientifically worthless.

Firstly, I’m uncomfortable with the idea that my subconscious is the business of my employer.

When you're expected to deal with members of the public of various races equitably as a core part of your job, why on earth not?

Secondly, the unconscious bias training itself is scientifically worthless.

According to who? You know about the specific details of this training? Or is it just a more general 'woke panic' because liberals made me feel bad?

If they just want to enjoy a day out then they dont need to bother reading the informational boards and leaflets etc.

This.

"I actively want to know about the history of this place... no not THAT history"

I tend to skip reading anything, and take pictures of the period wallpaper. Except in the kitchens... I get properly drawn into how they were run and how things were done there.

And what possible difference does that make to anyone?

Quite a bit, seeing as Restore Trust are in a lather over it. I'm sure there are reasons why they're so exercised by giving the public accurate information.

Conservative MPs are concerned that the Trust has been being too political.

Sir John Hayes, Conservative MP for South Holland and the Deepings, accused the Trust of not understanding its own purpose.

Hayes highlighted the Trust’s role in preserving beauty, and said: “Beauty, because it is the exemplification of truth, is the most important thing to which we should all aspire. In beauty, we begin to have sight of the Lord.

Um...... 🤦‍♂️

Except in the kitchens…

Weird isn't it, go into any stately home and you'll be shown where the staff worked and lived and you can see exactly the divide between rich and poor, the separate staircases, the teeny rooms, ...but goodness, happen to mention where  the people who own the house got the fabulous wealth from...nope, beyond the pale

Min Grimshaw

I voted a few days ago and admit to f**ing it up as I couldn't find a list of the "Restore Trust" idiots at the time. Mr Green was easy to spot, but other than that I and hoped by voting for a woman of non-English background I'd be avoiding any others.

I guess I totally "Priti Patel-ed" myself there.

I voted a few days ago and admit to f**ing it up as I couldn’t find a list of the “Restore Trust” idiots at the time. Mr Green was easy to spot, but other than that I and hoped by voting for a woman of non-English background I’d be avoiding any others.

If the RT thing is the most important issue to you then I understand you being miffed she didn't mention it, though maybe it's not a hugely important issue to her? Since the rest of her statement was compelling enough for you to pick her over 39 others she's maybe not the worst choice ever - I mean it's not like you voted for Stephen Green, is it?

All requires a bit of balance really, there will be many properties where the owners at some point had direct links with the slave trade, it is right that the properties history reflect that and be shared. However how prominent this is will depend on each property. If a large building program was funded directly from slave trading activities I'd expect slavery to a big part of the properties story, if at some point in it's history some of it's owners profited from the slave trade it should be mentioned but not be the main narrative (a modern day example would be the difference between someone having a pension that is invested in the arms industry and someone who works in the arms industry and built their house with the proceeds). Other properties it wouldn't have any relevance to.

The ‘woke-turn’ of the NT also goes further than highlighting colonial links; staff who didn’t want to wear rainbow badges being taken off visitor-facing duties and staff are being forced to undergo ‘unconscious bias’ training.

Yeah, none of that is true.
I worked for the NT for nearly 20 years until they made me redundant at the start of the year as part of 'cost cutting' measures (even though I worked in an area that made a profit) and have major issues with the way things are being run but I can't let utter nonsense pass unchallenged.

I'm still struggling to get my head around the mentality of people like i_scoff_cake and their ilk. The very idea that being pro-equality and thus being aware of inequality (i.e. woke) is something to be derided and railed against is just baffling.

I have undertaken unconscious bias training, its was fine and helped my understand my biases a bit more (mostly towards posh southerners ha ha). What on earth is there to be scared about??

staff who didn’t want to wear rainbow badges being taken off visitor-facing duties and staff are being forced to undergo ‘unconscious bias’ training.

Utter rubbish. No one was forced to do anything. They were offered it just as part of the rest of their training, that covers religions, disabilities etc etc. Just as you do with most roles that centre on public engagement in well organised companies.

As for;

So why do these links need highlighting to visitors who just want to enjoy a day out?

People can do whatever they want on their day out, they can look at the view or they can read the little information boards. This is just about making sure those information boards reflect the actual history, rather than conveniently ignoring it.
If knowing the truth about where you're visiting is going to spoil a day out then it also gives those people the option to go somewhere else that better suits their rose tinted imperialist standpoint.

Firstly, I’m uncomfortable with the idea that my subconscious is the business of my employer. Secondly, the unconscious bias training itself is scientifically worthless.

My employer will be very much involved if my unconscious bias leads to a complaint.

And while the Civil Service have pulled the plug on unconscious bias training, I'm not convinced the decision was science based, and there's plenty of other similar stuff we use.

Gonna get my vote on! Thanks OP.