RSPCA activists campaign to oust Queen as patron(cutting The Times 30/4/01by Andrew Pierce) discovered by ttfn on news:uk.animals.politics THANKYOU MILITANTS in the ruling council of the RSPCA are trying to oust the Queen as patron because of her support for foxhunting. One leading figure in the rebellion, Angela Walder, who runs an animal sanctuary, has been arrested several times for public order offences. Ms Walder, challenged about the monarch’s patronage, said: “I don’t understand how we can sustain that position. I have expressed my views on this before. I have not changed my views. It is obscene. It’s like the NSPCC having a paedophile as its patron.” Another council member, who declined to be named, said: “The majority of members share the same view that the Queen should not be patron because of her support for foxhunting. There is resistance to it in case it means we have to lose the word royal from the charity title.” Some council members refuse to take up the invitiation from the Queen to attend garden parties at Buckingham Palace as part of their protest at her figurehead role at the society. “We can’t even find out if she makes a donation,” added the council member who did not wish to be named. Ms Walder, a vegan who was once expelled from the RSPCA for opposing its investments in companies involved in animal testing, is leading the moves to expel Richard Meade, the pro-foxhunting triple Olympic gold medallist, from the world’s oldest animal welfare charity. At last week’s council meeting it was agreed to cancel within weeks the membership of Mr Meade. At the same meeting another council member, David Mawson, who has been accused of being involved in direct action, narrowly survived a move to eject him. The vote of 16 to nine against him was one short of the two-thirds majority required to suspend him. Mr Mawson said: “It is a confidential matter.” Asked whether he supported direct action, he replied: “None of your business.” The attack on the role of the Queen — in 1840 Queen Victoria gave permission for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to take the Royal prefix — will increase fears that the society’s council has been taken over by extremists. In a letter in today’s Times, Michael Sissons, the literary agent whose clients include the late Alan Clark and Michael Heseltine, describes how he was terrorised when he accused the society of being infiltrated by the animal rights movement. As a result of the threats, he wrote: “Out of concern for my family and employees as well as for myself, I sought the wise help of the Anti-Terrorist Branch at Scotland Yard.” Mr Sissons, who is opposed to the attempt to eject Mr Meade, added: “Where can different views of animal welfare be debated if not in the world’s leading animal welfare charity? The RSPCA remains a fine organisation on the ground, with staff of high quality. Its council has long been a disgrace.” Mr Sissons said last night: “The soul of the RSPCA has been surrendered to extremists.” The RSPCA declined to discuss the council meeting. A spokeswoman said: “I can confirm Meade was discussed and his membership will be resolved at a future meeting. But the affairs of the council are confidential.” Asked about the vote on Mr Mawson, she added: “A number of allegations were made concerning his conduct. The council did not resolve to expel him.” Challenged about the anti-monarchist comments of Ms Walder, the spokeswoman said : “The council continues to support the Queen as patron.” When Ms Walder made a similar comment in 1995, before her re-election, the council passed a unanimous statement of support for the Queen remaining patron./cutting ends
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