National Trust secretly makes all its scones vegan - while critics condemn 'woke' use of vegetable-based spread instead of butter

They are the much-loved staple enjoyed with jam and cream at its tearooms across the country.

But the National Trust is now risking the ire of diners after admitting its scones have gone vegan – and that they 'may taste different to the traditional version'.

Critics have condemned the use of a vegetable-based spread instead of butter in the baking as a 'virtue-signalling betrayal', in what looks like yet another woke row involving the charity.

They accused the trust, which has 280 cafes, of failing to protect a piece of British heritage. Customers also said the plant-based scones taste like 'dry biscuits'.

Long-time member Maude Newby, 64, of Bury St Edmonds, Suffolk, said: 'I can't stand the taste of the new scones. They are not like traditional ones at all – they are flatter, drier and have an unappealing texture.' Campaign group Restore Trust, which wants to rid the charity of its 'divisive ideologies' and 'activism', slammed the move.

Chairman Cornelia van der Poll said: 'It is unfortunate that the National Trust can't even get scones right, let alone bigger issues such as properly looking after the properties in its care.'

Sir Bill Cash MP, who often has tea and scones in the House of Commons, said: 'It makes me wonder what will happen next – will they stop selling Madeira cake because of historical events in Madeira?

'There's far too much wokery going on at the National Trust, this is just the latest example.'

Last night, a spokesman for the trust said: 'Our cafes serve millions of customers a year and we work hard to accommodate dietary needs and allergies. Our scones are made with vegetable-based spread. This means our iconic plain and fruit scones can be enjoyed by those with dairy allergies and vegans.'

Last year, more than 24million people visited the National Trust's 500 historic houses, castles, gardens, parks and nature reserves.

But some MPs have demanded the charity's status be reconsidered after it published a 'tendentious' report linking 93 of its properties to slavery and colonialism. National Trust chairman Rene Olivieri claimed it needed to 'embrace a wider range of viewpoints', which may leave some feeling 'uncomfortable'.