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MASON ALLEGATION AS THREE STAND
FOR
RIBA PRESIDENT
7 May, 2010
By Will Hurst , Elizabeth Hopkirk
bd - the architects' website
Institute's investigation into RIBA London hears claims it is manipulated
by freemasons
Three candidates have thrown their hats into the ring to become
the next RIBA president
amid mounting turmoil over the state of RIBA London and allegations
of “masonic” interference.
With just a week left before the closing date for nominations, Roger
Shrimplin, Angela Brady and Richard Parnaby had all confirmed they
planned to stand, while Populous's Geraint John said he was considering
running.
But news of the forthcoming race was overshadowed by the RIBA's
admission that an internal investigation into its troubled London
region, commissioned by president Ruth Reed, had heard claims that
undeclared freemasons were manipulating it.
Shrimplin himself has informed RIBA Council that he is a freemason,
but strongly rejects the notion that it is a secret society handing
out favours to its members.
Reed told BD that a yet-to-be-published
report into London region carried out by RIBA vice president for
membership John Devlin includes masonic influence as an “area of concern”.
She added: “As far as I'm aware, it's
an issue of a historic nature.”
Reed added that Shrimplin, already a
trustee on RIBA's governing board, had been open about his status and had
served RIBA in a “very thoughtful and constructive
way”.
However, critics pointed out that he had not declared himself a mason in the
institute's register of interests, which was specifically introduced to cover
membership of the freemasons as well as political allegiances.
RIBA Council voted overwhelmingly in
favour of strengthening the rule last year, stating that any member who failed
to sign the declaration of interests form — even if they have no interest to declare — “will be excluded”.
Despite this, as many as 22 councillors have still to comply.
Former honorary secretary Ian Salisbury
said: “The RIBA needs to be very cautious
that it doesn't fall into the trap of allowing self-interested groups to advance
themselves.”
Former councillor Sam Webb claimed the missing declarations of interest could
leave all council decisions since September open to legal challenge.
“You can't make the rules up as you go along,” he said. “If
you have masons who have not declared they are masons sitting on a key committee
then the RIBA is sunk.”
Shrimplin said he objected to having to list his membership of the freemasons
because it did not affect his professionalism.
“It will be in my [election] statement and if people are prejudiced against
it, they will have to vote on that basis,” he said. “I'm emphatic about integrity,
honesty and tolerance. Those are integral to a liberal society and also basic
principles of freemasonry.”
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