I read today that Tim Farron MP was going to join the protest at Grizedale against the sell-off of our forests. I'd just been reading about the situation which arose in 1921 when the Liberal-Conservative coalition government decided to raise a bit of money by selling off Runnymede. A huge protest was held on the site during the League of Nations conference and the government backed off. However, the danger wasn't completely gone until the generosity of one family saved the most important meadow in the country, buying it and then eventually bequeathing it to the National Trust to care for in the name of the British people.
Sadly, I don't think there's such a rich benefactor waiting in the wings to save our forests so it's going to be up to each and every one of us to do what we can to ensure that they don't go into private hands. Previous governments have "sold the family silver", let's not allow this one to sell the back garden as well.
ps For those whose memory of history is a bit lacking - Runnymede is the meadow where negotiations between King John and the barons came to a conclusion and Magna Carta was sealed (not signed - that apparently is a popular misconception)
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