Neil Oliver!
Seems an enlightened choice; particularly so soon after the 'Glencoe' copyright fiasco.
I guess his role will be largely ceremonial and non executive, though hopefully he will able to contribute to policy.
He is a trained archaeologist; and judging by his output, a very fine journalist, author, and TV presenter.
He also comes over as 'A Mon's, Mon', as we say round here.
Good luck to him, top chap!

It is completely wrong to appoint someone who holds political views which are deeply offensive to almost half of Scotland's population and who expresses them publicly and with such vehemence to act in an ambassadorial role on behalf of an apolitical charity. If the board of trustees cannot see this they should be considering their own positions.

This buffoon called the Highland clearances a migration! He has also written some dreadful articles about Scotland and I would go so far as to say, in many ways, he is anti Scotland! Someone said that the Scottish cringe is strong in him and I agree! National Trust are going to lose Members!

Blimey, even Grough gets hijacked by bonkers CyberNats these days - have you folk not got enough to do?

Oh dear!

Freedom of speech is slowly being eroded in this country. is Neil Oliver not entitled to his opinion. If he does not like the SNP then I am sure he has good reason for this (neither do I like them), but what the fuck has this to do with the NTS. Someone quoted that half the people in Scotland are opposed to his views, I don`t remember being asked this? If he is able to make some changes to our countryside etc. well and good, he has to be better than some old landowning fart who no doubt wants to keep the status quo.

Wow...strong feelings...probably a good job a lot of NTS members are Sassenachs there for the cheaper membership!

We're shocked by this appointment. He is a very divisive person and lacks the tact to manage an organisatioon like this. NTS is far too secretive for me, I've stopped my subscription as I can see no way of influencing what they do

I've taken the NTS sticker off my car, cancelling my subscription.

taking up subscription right now this bloke hates these idiots as much as more than half of Scotland does

So the NTS has become political I can see half of Scotland cancel their memberships whilst picking up the idiot union at all cost brigade

words fail. Bad mistake. Appointing an overtly political, proudly unionist president, who has gone on record calling the Highland Clearances "a migration" and Scottish Independence "a cancer" is foolish in the extreme. Alienate half the country, why don't you??

Bad bad choice this will not go down well

Who is on the Board that elected this baffoon? NTS - you have made a huge mistake and you will see your membership diminished because of it. Still baffled by your choice!!!

How silly of NTS board who are still struggling financially, to alienate hundreds of Members, especially those who know far more about Scot's History than politically motivated Mr Oliver who is NOT a historian but is a British Broadcaster staffer. I expect this to be a very brief appointment which will leave the trust in a fiscal hole for the next decade. The Board should resign for making political comments via appointments for n this manner. Our Family Membership monthly subscription is Switched to New Lanark Mills.

No NTS sub for me or my family.

Politically insensitive, financially suicidal, wilfully arrogant.

The folk behind this obviously have agendas that have nothing to do with the totality of our National life. Losing the Trust of many members and sullying the reputation for serious history.

The NTS chair was a Yorkshire bus driver who successfully built First Bus, the CEO is a Londoner who ran Aeon for a while, the head of operations is from Ireland and was sacked for his management of Cardiff airport (and, I kid you not consults a psychic for advice), and now Tomb Tabard as President. It doesn't sound like successful management of Scotland's heritage.

What is the answer - a pro-unionist will upset the independence supporters, and vice-versa. They could appoint a "don't know" but that risks upsetting everyone. I suppose a truly neutral (i.e. not Scottish or English) is a possibility?

So if I've got this right, everybody will now - and only now - be cancelling their NTS subscriptions in protest at a Unionist president? You understand that the last two presidents have been titled, Eton-educated private landowners (one of them the largest private landowner in the country) who are in possession of the kind of properties that the NTS's mission statement vows to conserve, with your money? The duke of Buccleuch's management company donated a five-figure sum to the Better Together movement - but you knew that, right? And you know about the proposed wind farms, yes? Or that Lindsay was a conservative politician - hardly a breeding ground for separationists? But now that somebody who openly declares their interests - and whose political position is for once NOT axiomatically at odds with their appointment - is in the job, your own single-issue prejudices come to the fore. (And for what it's worth, I'm a Welshman living in Cornwall - a place with its own views on independence - who desperately wanted independence to succeed in Scotland.) If you don't want to support a traditionally elitist institution, as it attempts to adopt a more egalitarian approach, then don't - but at least stop with this blinkered, hypocritical stance that the NTS have somehow suddenly moved *away* from the interests of the common man. Given their track record up to this point, that's just laughable.

I think it's an inspirational choice , and break from the norm

Great choice. Neil is a lovely man. I wish him well

I have been a member for several years. I will not renew my membership while Neil Oliver is in post. He is entitled, as anyone is, to their views about Unionism vs Independence but his constant belittling of those with opposing views does no service to the NTS.

Independence has nothing to do with NTS even though we're better together

Bad mistake. NTS should have avoided appointing someone with a divisive political stance. As a long-standing NTS member, I'll not renew. I hope the position is time limited.

Great choice. When we start to decide who gets what job on the basis of their politics, we really will be in trouble.
The NTS had better NOT give in to the Nationalist bully boys. It's telling that the 38 Degree petition to remove him has already been disabled due to "inappropriate content": these people genuinely can't help behaving like five year olds-
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/remove-neil-oliver-from-the-post-of-president-of-the-national-trust-for-scotland

A highly polarizing, openly political choice. If you wanted someone recognizable to head the organization why not pick someone who hasn't offended half the nation and rearranged Scottish history to suit himself? No confidence in this choice, cancelling my membership and telling my American friends to do the same. Unfortunately those that care the most
about Scotland's heritage are the most likely to be offended.

Neil's never offended me and I don't agree with some of his political views, so good choice. The NTS should not be swayed

What a bizarre choice of president. Probably the most singularly divisive person in Scotland. Sorry, but my wife and I both long standing members cannot let this overtly political choice pass unnoticed. It is with real regret we have cancelled our memberships. I have no recollection any past president describing a large proportion of the membership as being cancerous. Such a nasty man.

To say he's nasty is a wild statement , let's just give him a chance eh

Neil Oliver's politics don't matter and it is good that the NTS have appointed someone who is not a member of the aristocracy.
Unfortunately it is the intemperate use of the language which he has used in the past to describe people with whom he disagrees, combined with his histrionic behaviour make him a bizarre choice for this post.

He also involved himself in an unpleasant verbal attack on Sir Tom Devine, our premier historian, revered by many for his academic rigour, which was very distasteful. Surely a more appropriate candidate could have been found?

This is not a progressive appointment. Neil Oliver is entitled to his political views but NTS needs someone with a degree of neutrality and greater political tact and acumen than Neil Oliver has shown. Has NTS not had enough problems over the past few years without making such a controversial appointment?

I believe his insight into Scotland's history and culture makes him an ideal and exiting appointment

Fantastic choice. I intend to take out a membership. Neil will be a wonderful president.

I have cancelled my direct debit to the charity and removed my sticker from the car better that Historic Scotland get the business in my opinion now and no i dont think i am a cybernat for not liking the way this man spoke of the clearances PICK SOMEONE BETTER LEAD IS ALL I CAN SAY

Clearances were never as simple as many popular historical accounts presented them. Clearance or Removals happened in many parts of Scotland before the final stages in the north west.

Terrible decision.