Ex Government Minister Is New Ramblers President

Member of Parliament and former Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Chris Smith has been elected President of the Ramblers' Association.

Handy though it might be to have an MP as President, Smith is not just a pretty political face. He's been a walker for years, climbed his first Munro in 1964 and ticked his final Scottish 3000-er in 1989 and also, says the RA, completed the Pennine Way and walked abroad in Austria, Japan, North America and the Pyrenees.

Nick Barrett, Chief Executive of the Ramblers' Association, said, 'We are delighted that Chris Smith has become our new president; a passionate supporter of walking throughout Britain, he is a natural choice for the RA. This is a very exciting time for the RA. In recent years we have campaigned successfully for the Countryside and Rights of Way Act in England and Wales and the Land Reform Act in Scotland - both will increase public access to the countryside. Given Chris' support for this legislation it is fitting that he will be president as it becomes reality.

The election comes at an interesting time for RA members. As we reported recently, Nick Barrett has been moving towards reducing the power of the membership's elected representatives to determine policy. Instead the elected Governing Council would become an advisory body with the Board of Trustees making the decisions in line with charities law.

More details on the RA web site, and erm, watch out for the moorland fire risk ;-)