The Great “Reset”: League Rewrites Its Biggest Scandal

League Seeks Another Chair (Preferably One Without a Police Record)

The League Against Cruel Sports is once again seeking a Chair of Trustees. According to its latest job advert, this is an “exciting moment to join us. Following a reset earlier this year, our new CEO is reinvigorating our strategy.”

Translated: their last chair, Labour MP Dan Norris, had to resign after being arrested on suspicion of rape and child sex offences. That arrest represents the biggest scandal in the League’s hundred-year history. To dress it up as a mere “reset” is beyond contempt for the League Against Cruel Sports members and donors who expect honesty.

So much for the “reset.” Christ Luffingham, Astrid Clifford and Ashleigh Brown have taken no responsibility for the underhand way they reappointed Norris as chair in 2024, despite obvious conflicts and warnings. They have not been held to account, and the euphemism of “reset” is simply another attempt to sweep the whole mess under the carpet. It appears the League has learnt nothing.

The job description itself offers little comfort. Applicants are told they will “partner with the CEO to ensure good governance and strategic progress.” In reality, the Charity Commission makes it clear that the Chair’s role is to hold the CEO to account and ensure the board governs effectively. Governance is not a partnership – it is oversight. But in League-land, trustees are invited to play a supporting role in management’s buddy comedy, with the Senior Management Team writing the script.

Meanwhile, the League continues to insist it is “Britain’s leading animal welfare charity tackling the use of animals in cruel sports.” Yet under Luffingham, Clifford and Brown, it has cancelled its AGM, abandoned major fundraising events, alienated donors, and lost credibility in Parliament. The only consistent “sport” on offer has been the Olympic-level game of musical chairs at trustee level.

Applicants are promised a voluntary role with expenses covered. The unwritten brief: smile for the annual report, avoid difficult questions, and be available for PR photos. Experience in animal welfare is “ideal,” but a polished LinkedIn profile and a taste for euphemism seem to count for more.

One final piece of advice for candidates: when the League describes your tenure as a “reset,” don’t assume it’s a compliment. In practice, it usually means your reputation has been sacrificed to cover the failings of others.