RSPB apologises - again - for social media message in which it described Prime Minister and colleagues as 'liars'

       

Beccy Speight - difficult challenge to negotiate 

THE RSPB has repeated its apology for posting a social media message in which it described Prime Minister and two of his Cabinet colleagues as 'liars'.

At yesterday's AGM, chief executive Beccy Speight told members: "We don't always get things right - we are determined to learn lessons."

The RSPB was born out of the campaigning of bird protectionists, and Ms Speight said the organisation would continue down this route - subject to abiding by Charities Commission guidelines.

However, it will seek to stay out of party politics.

She continued: "As my inbox reflects, this is a difficult challenge to negotiate.

"Some members want us to be more strident while others want us nowhere near politics."

Despite the apology, the RSPB still has not deleted the 'liars' insult which was posted in August on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Up to 400 members logged on to all or some of the meeting which was chaired by society president Dr Amir Khan who lamented the long drive to the the RSPB's HQ in Sandy, Bedfordshire,  from his home in Yorkshire.

The event was tightly managed, but slightly awkward, consisting mostly of senior RSPB figures taking turns to read from prepared scripts at a podium. 

To break the procession, there were various short video clips - for instance, focusing on the work of volunteers and the satisfactions they derive.

There was no officer-member interaction, nor any answers to specific questions.

Members were able to submit comments to a discussion forum and a question-and-answer box, but both were subject to censorship. 

What we learned was that:

* Gannets are showing promising early signs of immunity from avian influenza.

*The RSPB will continue its campaign to exterminate vole-killing stoats in The Orkneys.

* An inquiry has been launched into why the society's costly campaign to eradicate the mouse population on Gough Island, in the South Atlantic, has failed, putting millions of seabirds at risk.

* For a trial period starting soon, 16-24-year-olds will have free access to RSPB reserves.

* The society will continue to support efforts to save tigers in Sumatra.

The meeting heard from treasurer Robert Cubbage that the society's income last year was £163.3-million compared with £121.3-million the previous year.

The Wryneck says: Sterile or what? The format of the meeting could scarcely have been more highly sanitised and bland. The AGM is held primarily for the benefit of members not for officers. Its purpose is to provide a once-a year opportunity for members to challenge the bosses,  to ask questions and  to hear them answered in a live forum. Instead, questions submitted to Saturday's event will  be considered in the fullness of time, with responses to some of them to be posted online - but not until next month and only for a temporary period. The feisty female founders of the society would  have been dismayed by such a wishy-washy arrangement, such a flat balloon of a meeting. The RSPB must do much better than this. In future years, it needs to bring back in-person attendance, with the option of online viewing for the benefit of those unable to attend.