We have written an open letter to Sue about this decision. A copy of our letter to Sue can be found here on the Wikimedia UK wiki.

This open letter may have some emotive reason for being produced, but after reviewing it carefully, I can see no strategic value for WMUK by publishing it.

It comes as no surprise for anyone with a reasonable understanding of WMF politics that Sue Gardner has made this decision. The surprise here is that Jon Davies (WMUK CEO) thought he had invested his time over the last two years forming a relationship with the right person within the WMF hierarchy that would take different action, or that he was following effective tactics by using appeasing politics, in order to achieve a different outcome in time for 2014/15.

This official letter criticises the outgoing CEO's judgement (exceedingly pointless), and I read nothing in its content to address how WMUK is making the significant management changes that would convince those that think along Sue's lines to make a difference for coming years. How Jon Davies believes this will impress the new WMF CEO is beyond me.

Hopefully the superb exemplars of WMFR and WMDE in how they have, and continue to, radically change their course is something that the current WMUK board of trustees are taking to heart behind closed doors. Certainly, *they* have said little in public.

Fae