National Trust members reject anti-Pride motions at AGM

Extinction Rebellion gathered the AGM in protest of the National Trust's support of fossil fuels and the Stonehenge Tunnel

National Trust Members have rejected motions criticising its involvement in Pride events and rewilding projects.

Some 127,000 members voted on six resolutions and elected seven new members of the National Trust Council at Saturday's Annual General Meeting.

The majority of National Trust members downvoted a motion to condemn the charity's involvement in Pride events.

Campaign group Restore Trust, which sought more control over the charity's direction, failed to secure any wins.

At this year's Annual General Meeting (AGM), the National Trust brought forward the resolutions surrounding rewilding.

Campaign group Restore Trust has previously criticised the charity's policies on social inclusion and rewilding, as reported by The Guardian.

At the AGM, 65% of National Trust members voted against the motion to condemn the National Trust's involvement in Pride events.

Meanwhile, members also voted against a motion asking the charity to rethink its support for a £1.7bn two-mile (3.2km) tunnel on the A303 near Stonehenge.

Members also voted against a motion to criticise recent rewilding and re-wetting projects on National Trust farmland, as well as the charity buying farmland for that purpose.

Restore Trust put forward two resolutions, on abolishing the Chair's discretionary proxy vote and on establishing an independent Ombudsman.

After being unable to secure a single win, Restore Trust blamed an "undemocratic new voting innovation".

In a statement, Zewditu Gebreyohanes, director of Restore Trust, said that it was "deeply worrying and sad" that the National Trust has "claimed these results" to be the results of a "purely democratic vote".

Ms Gebreyohanes insists the results were influenced by the National Trust's new "Quick Vote" - a tick box on the ballot forms that automatically approves all of the National Trust's voting recommendations.

A spokesperson for the National Trust said: "National Trust Council elections and voting on resolutions is overseen by Civica Election Services, an independent third party who ensures that these democratic governance processes are held in line with best practice.

"This year we introduced Quick Vote, which Civica advised has become a standard feature for ballots conducted by member organisations.

"Members are entirely free not to use Quick Vote and can vote for whichever candidates or resolution response they wish."

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