Bath MP Champions National Trust, on its 125th Anniversary, in Parliament

17 December 2020

Last week Bath MP, Wera Hobhouse, stood up for the reputation of the National Trust in Parliament, arguing that Parliament should be “congratulating the National Trust on all the wonderful work that it has done”.

Wera Hobhouse made her comments in response to an adjournment debate in the House of Commons, led by Conservative MP Derek Thomas.

Mr Thomas, MP for St. Ives, expressed concerns about the National Trust “acting at times as a completely unaccountable body” with no regard for “lives and livelihoods”.

Bath’s MP disagreed with this assessment, arguing that on the 125th anniversary of the Trusts’ formation, Parliament should be celebrating the work that had been achieved and also understand that the “National Trust, along with Government” are facing “very difficult choices”.

Following the exchange Wera Hobhouse said:

“The National Trust is a very special British institution that has allowed us to protect both landscapes and heritage for future generations. As the MP for Bath, I have an extremely well-developed understanding of the potential tensions between protecting our historic landscapes and making our spaces more sustainable. These can be difficult topics, but I believe that the National Trust has been acting in the best interest of this country.

“In Bath, we know how valuable our history is and how much it can benefit us. Although no institution is perfect, I believe that in 2020 it is more important than ever that we go the extra mile to be both understanding and generous with each other. Overall, the National Trust is a great organisation that does so much to benefit this country.

“I was extremely disappointed to hear such a one-sided point of view of the National Trust presented in Parliament and am glad that I was able to stand up for this great British institution.”