Bear Grylls (Chief Scout) and the Scouting Movement appear to have abandoned the principles of free speech, following the decision to suspend a local parent volunteer for criticising Israel.
Pete Gregson, who has been Treasurer at the 150th Craigalmond Scout Group in Edinburgh for 9 years, and who holds the Chief Scout’s Award from Grylls, was, on May 12th, suspended by Mark Hesketh, District Commissioner (DC) of the Scout Group, following a complaint. Mr Hesketh was unhappy that Pete was, in another quite unrelated capacity, chairperson of the Campaign Against Bogus Antisemitism ( www.bogusantisemitism.org ).
Ever careful to keep his volunteering activities separate, Gregson has taken great care never to publicly mention to either body his passion for both young people (he was a scout himself from the age of 12 to 16 and was a youth worker for 20 years) and Palestine. Of course, the members of the local Scout Executive Committee at the 150th were aware of Pete’s campaigning activities (he cannot keep a low profile- he is involved in trying to get Edinburgh twinned with Gaza (see www.twingaza.com ) but they are grateful he never hands out flyers at scout meetings, nor even mentions his activities around challenging Israel’s hegemony.
The background to the complaint is this. At some point in 2017, Gregson tried to recruit volunteers for the 150th Scout Executive and submitted an advert to the Edinburgh Volunteer Centre. He entered his private landline phone number 0131 337 2603 as the contact point for those seeking more information. The advert ultimately proved a failure, for nobody came forward through this action.
However, somehow an individual found the extinct advert from 2017 and discovered that it was also the phone number for the pro-Palestine activist Pete Gregson. On this basis a complaint was lodged with Scouting HQ claiming that an anti-Semite was being allowed to manage the 150th Craigalmond Scout Group finances- and that this must surely represent a danger to the young people in the Group.
The District Commissioner, fully aware of Gregson’s long service to the scouting movement, on clarifying that Gregson was indeed associated with the Campaign Against Bogus Antisemitism, immediately suspended Gregson as the group treasurer.
This is proving awkward for the Group, since Gregson has pointed out he was in the midst of organising the group’s annual accounts for the forthcoming AGM (the group is a registered charity and runs a well-used scout hall, booked by many community groups), work that he explained needed urgently to be done. The District Commissioner was unfazed by this matter.
Gregson also pointed out that, as trustee of another local charity, the Friends of Roseburn Park, he was organising a Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Party in the Park for the 3rd June, to which the 150th Craigalmond have decided to bring a tombola stall. Gregson was meant to be helping the Scouts to organise the stall; he enquired of Mr Hesketh as to how he was meant to do this, now he was suspended- but answer came there none (though the DC noted the Group could still participate in the event).
Gregson is shocked that the Scouting movement feels that a mendacious complaint about his political activities appears to preclude him doing the Scout accounts. His own children left the Scouts around 7 years ago, but he has continued as a volunteer with them because he is utterly committed to the Scouting movement. He is upset that he must now stay away from an agency that he has always supported. Mr Hesketh states that he must follow procedures and that any complaint warrants a suspension from Scouting. Gregson is organising a free concert for Gaza in 3 weeks’ time in Edinburgh’s Princes St Gardens, which he thinks has triggered this attack: see www.twingaza.com/gig-for-gaza
Gregson points to Bear Grylls: ‘To have faith in our everyday lives takes courage’ | British GQ | British GQ (gq-magazine.co.uk) and notes the Chief Scout is a Christian.
He put the question to Grylls and the DC:
“But does our Chief Scout support Israel? Is he a Zionist? The DC’s actions will be putting this question on every young person’s lips.
“And of course, their parent’s lips. Because Gryll’s agency has suspended me for campaigning against apartheid Israel.
“I would have abandoned scouting years ago if it condoned racism. Which the DC presently gives every appearance of so doing.
“Is it because of this group that Mr Grylls will be compromised? Hebrew Scouts Movement in Israel – Wikipedia Or does he prefer these folk? Palestinian Scout Association – ScoutWiki
“Thanks to the DC’s actions, I think Grylls must soon take a choice on these two. And, by his actions, the DC is forcing him to the Hebrew movement. And to the wrong side of history.”
When asked for comment, Grylls’ PA stated “Grylls does not get involved in disciplinaries” ; the DC did not respond to these questions.
Mark Hesketh is also treasurer for the Bethany Christian Trust in Edinburgh
The Weekly Worker published Pete’s letter about this – see 5th letter in “Suspended” at Issue 1396, 19.05.2022 – Weekly Worker
More at https://bogusantisemitism.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Scout-Treasurer-Suspended-13.5.22.pdf
