Whether there'll be more than one man and a dog listening is less than certain. In fact Sir Rodge may find himself talking to thin air, as I'm not sure David Blunkett counts saving money pit airports as one of his priorities.
Looking increasingly like Neville Chamberlain waving around worthless bits of paper whilst standing next to a plane, Roger's latest mutterings during the 'packed' meeting of 300 airport supporters at Margate's Winter Gardens on Saturday saw him make this statement: 'Half an hour ago, I held in my hand a letter from a significant potential investor, who I am satisfied - and I may be naive - has the money to make the bid.'
The key word there is 'naive'. Yes, Roger, you may well be naive, if your unwitting advocacy on behalf of a bunch of Thanet VAT fraudsters who have just been thrown into prison for a total of 27 years is anything to go by.
For this, dear reader, is where it gets interesting. In 2006 Sir Wind was standing up in parliament asking this question, according to Hansard: 'To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when HM Revenue and Customs expect to be in a position to repay the sums owing to Amber Communications Management Ltd. of Margate.'
To which Dawn Primarola, then Paymaster General, responded: 'Section 18 of the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 does not permit HM Revenue and Customs to disclose information relating to the tax affairs of individual taxpayers.'
Fast forward to 2014, and it appears that Amber Communications Management Ltd. of Margate was nothing other than a vehicle for a colossal VAT carousel fraud based around mobile phones, which ended up costing the public purse some £27m. It was such a whopper that HMRC even gave the investigation its own handle - 'Operation Chert'. You can read the full report in GoMoNews by clicking here.
Now of course nobody in their right legal mind, least of all little old me, is suggesting that Windy was in cahoots with these fraudsters. Far from it. Everyone agrees that Roger is a fab constituency MP, and he was probably just doing what he thought was best for his constituents.
But without a due diligence check or two? P..l...eeeeeeeeze! He's been an MP around here for 30 years, you would have at least thought he might have wondered why he hadn't heard of this amazing, hi-tech Thanet business that was turning over millions and was 'owed' significant sums by HMRC, wouldn't you?
Meanwhile Ann Gloag, the airport's Scottish squillionaire owner, is apparently so on tippy-toes to receive Roger's next piece of paper that she's taken leave in Africa to spend time with her charities. Nuff said.
Click here to vote on Save Manston blog against overturning the night flight ban
104 comments:
wouldn't be the 1st time "due diligence" was done badly in TDC land look at SFP Ventures and it will be interesting to see where they serve a default notice on Shaun Keegan
I'm not sure he is being naive about the airport. I'm fairly sure he is aware that there is nothing he can possibly do or say that would save the airport - so is going through the motions for the sake of the next election. Which, in some ways, is quite a clever move.
Schadenfreude in our time!
Gale is naive. And rather stupid. Worse than that his actions now seem to veer to the criminal.
Why would any MP refuse to acknowledge the pollution levels at Manston or the illegal flights?
What a dereliction of duty - so much so that he has now been knighted in order to pave the way for his retirement. Tonight's speech will undoubtedly be his last.
And as with Laura and hart if Manston was so important and such a concern why are they only now creeping out of the woodwork with a few warm words?
Love the fluffy kitten! There's been a clear dearth of them in this blog. Good to see decent social media values being upheld here at last.
Gale? Crazy name, crazy guy!
Love the fluffy kitten! There's a dearth of those on your blog usually - glad to see that you are conforming to decent social media norms at last!
Roger Gale? Crazy name, crazy guy!
The Save Manston Airport blog says they have now saved up £400 in contributions to save the airport which by my reckoning would keep it running for just under an hour.
Given that Roger's Adjournment Debate is scheduled after the one on HS2 it probably won't last long. I expect he will rehash the lines he has used before ...you know that Heathrow flights should go to to Gatwick and Gatwick flights should then go to Manston...brilliant! but how do you make them do that? bloody passengers choosing to land 25 miles from London with a direct train service or Manston with a 70 mile journey or a bus ride to Ramsgate to catch a train that takes 1 hr 15 mins to get to London..Free market eh? good job Roger is not a Conservative..oh hang on!
Gale is getting a lot of publicity for himself, whilst announcing nothing of any substance. The mystery buyer could evaporate at any time and we'd never know if there was a realistic offer in the pipeline or not. In my view he's just doing what he always does; he's playing politics with it. It isn't Gale who's being naive; it's the silly little people who think they should be taking donations, which people can ill-afford to give, to plough into a bankrupt company, which has failed to make a profit in fifteen years.
Is this a different mystery buyer to the ones two weeks ago or a new one? Where were they in all the months Infratil had it up for sale? Is Roger misleading us? - too many question marks ..Ed
"1042 have voted for night flights."
This just goes to show why Thanet is such a dump. The people who live in the area don't value it at all and they are far too quick to dump their sh*t in their neighbour's yard. Next, they'll be voting for dumping asbestos and nuclear waste in the old tunnels. I'm sure it would create a few low-paid jobs.
Try engaging your brains for just one second. If they proposed no limits night-flights in Surrey it would be thrown out in a flash. Residents would rise up as one. Strangely, they have lots of highly paid jobs and profitable businesses in Surrey. Maybe it's because it's a nice place to live and work.
No, we've had years of nonsense from the people who think that Thanet's salvation lies in being some stinking, old, metal-bashing industrial scrapyard. And guess what? It's failed, failed and failed again.
It's time for some new blood and some new ideas. Time to take the area up market and to start trying to attract the kinds of smart, high tech businesses which make proper money and aren't throwbacks to Dickensian Broadstairs.
keep the advertising coming Richard, it's really boosted the views for us...
You have just been name checked on the Save Manston Group. They don't like opposition! But Gale has just secured his next term in parliament, I feel. To many, Sir 'Jammy' Dodger has been a hero. To others, he has been flogging a dead horse and telling everyone it will live again
What a grubby little blog this is.
Ah, dear Sir Roger strikes again! An unnamed bidder of whom Sir Roger appears to know very little, particularly whether said bidder has more than two halfpennies to rub together, has given Sir Roger a piece of paper. "Flogging" "Dead" and "Horse" spring readily to mind! I wonder also how many of the 300 at the Winter Gardens have actually ever flown from Manston???
Ah, dear Sir Roger strikes again! An unnamed bidder, of whom Sir Roger has little or no knowledge, least of all whether said "bidder" has more than two halfpennies to rub together, has handed him a piece of paper. Naive, Sir Roger, doesn't even begin to describe you! I wonder how many of the 300 at the Winter Gardens have ever flown from Manston??
Gale debate rejected in parliament. No support from government. Manston will close.
Well didn't Gale do well for the anti-manston supporters in the house of commons tonight
I will be looking forward to the closure
As someone said to me RIP Ramsgate.
No its RIP to the pro-Manston supporters.
With thanks to the transport minister.
bill beedie,
I have flown Thunderjets from Manston in the fifties, does that count.
And Roger Gale is a grubby little politician, 11.22pm. Ahead of the last election he told the people of Ramsgate that he didn't support night flights. Now he has aligned himself with the Save Manston group who are conducting a poll aimed at reintroducing night flights. Quite why Laura Sandys is sitting next to him when it is her constituency that would suffer the most is a mystery to me.
Oh yes, I forgot, they are politicians and will say anything to get themselves re-elected. After all there aren't many jobs that pay for your TV and curtains, are there?! Except that Sandys is stepping down, which makes her role as Gale's poodle even more surprising.
Exactly ECR, they're doing what the MAJORITY want!
He's actually very clean.
Given the woeful turnout at general elections, 9:17am, Roger Gale doesn't even speak for the majority in his constituency, let alone the majority in Thanet.
If you are referring to the 14,000 signatures on the petition, again that stacks up to a paltry 10% of the Thanet population. Even less, when you consider that many of the signatures are from outside the area.
Anyway, this talk of majorities is futile as there's only vote that counts - Ann Gloag's. And she seems to be more concerned about Africa than Thanet.
I don't think LS has much to lose from supporting her neighbouring MP. It would look a bit odd if she wasn't there.
I think we have MPs who have a history of attempting to tackle major employment and infrastructure problems in the area with drivel and wishful thinking. The tragic thing is how often people swallow this stuff.
Manston is finished. P45's will be issued this week or next. There are no flights in or out now.
What should replace it that isn't a housing estate?
Did i see roger the smelly ask the transport minister to take business from one airport and give it manston?
Rightfully he got nothing at all even from his own party it look as though the transport minister wanted to say 15 years of failure and your still backing it go home roger and give up politics
Reading through Sir Guff's speech last night, he does appear to have taken one or two facts on board.
He no longer talks about Manston's runway being 'the longest in Briatin', but rather it being 'very long and abnormally wide'. No more do planes 'fly straight out to sea', but rather 'a largely over-water take-off and landing'. Well done Roger!
But he is still woefully economic with the verité. For example he talks about 'the proposed extension of HS1 from Ashford to Thanet - a project that will commence in autumn this year'. Eh? I suspect that will be news to Network Rail!
On the Howard Davies review of London airports, he says: 'I understand that Sir Howard is reconsidering the opportunities afforded by regional airports. Manston is available immediately and it must be included in that equation.' No Roger, Manston is not 'available immediately'. The owner is closing it.
No matter. He got the proverbial bum's rush from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport anyway.
To read the full transcript pop over to the Save Manston blog. And while you're there, don't forget to vote against their proposal to re-instate night flights!
Not sure "largely over water takeoffs" etc is an improvement on "fly out to sea" both ignore Ramsgate a town of c.40k people - and such flights breach the S106.
Gale is finished. Sandys resigned and so should he and Carter and Hart. Failed. Go.
Well Manston has gone without the tax payer and government intervention its doomed. I hope we can now talk about what it will become. Roger should have had a plan B it may of saved his political bacon
Thinking about this, when Pfizer closed there was no campaign everyone accepted it as a commercial decision even though there were 40 times the numbers of jobs there than there are at Manston. Laura Sandys did the sensible thing and focussed on the future coming up with the whole Discovery Park thing. Roger on the other hand is so obsessed with the past that he cannot bear to get his head out of the sand and come up with a "Plan B". He is as silly as a banana.
Gale has been told to eff-off by his own party.
Take the hint.
Well if roger isn't going to think about whats going to happen and I bet the pro-Manston group will still say hes the best thing since sliced bread.
I dont think that it will make any difference what we think.
It will become houses and lots of them but if we can campaign for something better then we might have a chance as it will have to have planning for a change of use mind you anything is better that a busy airport
Gale has simply been doing his job - as a politician. He is securing his job. He has supported Manston for years and sees this as his ticket for the next election. Regardless of the outcome, he will have secured votes. And I suspect Laura has been backing him to show solidarity for the issue. In a way, you have to admire Roger for jumping on this issue so hard. He has won a lot of voted!
A field to protect the water supply
In response to the assertion that Roger is clean.
Sections 38B and 54 of the Terrorism Act 2000 provide a test of his "Cleanliness".
Perhaps he will send a submission to Theresa May ?
Or fulfil his statutory duty to report knowledge, as specified by the Act, to Sir Bernard Hogan Howe Met Commissioner. The lead body for anti-terrorism.
As well as a report of his knowledge subject of statutory reporting duty he should also clarify whether he supported the application for re-issue of a firearms certificate of a tory arrested for paramilitary activity 1987. And whether, if he did intervene the way an MP intervened to get Thomas Hamilton Dunblane a firearms cert, his intervention may have influenced Kent Police to fail to pursue security warninjgs and crime complaints made BEFORE the 22.9.89 bombing of Deal Royal Marines Barracks.
Bearing in mind that Mr Gale was an MP (thus sworn to the Queen) during this period then his alleged offences could upgrade from the five years imprisonment Terrorism Act to the life imprisonment available in Treason.
Clean ? My ----
Shes back from Africa, infact she landed into Edinburgh last Thursday and im shes back in her Castle with her feet up
1.09 A Very understanding/blinkered view on Sir Roger Gale It seems very easy to pull the wool over peoples eyes.
Don't you think you should ask yourself why did Roger not have a plan B?
Because the site will be developed with no plan B there will be nothing stopping her. But if there was a plan B then it would be harder for her to apply for planning
I can see why he was so hell bent on chasing the dead horse route.
I am not sure that:
- winning votes by misrepresenting facts about Manston
- misleading the local electorate to believe there is a real commercial chance for the airport, when every (private sector) effort has failed
- changing position on night flights depending on which Party is in control at TDC
makes for a good and honourable politician.
But then, in addition to the points you have raised, ECR, Gale was also a steadfast supporter and champion of Jonathan Aitken right up to when they locked his cell door. And he turned on those who were pointing the finger at certain of his Tory friends who had fiddled their expenses and accused them of pursuing a "witch hunt" against them.
Not the moraility you might hope for in one who earns a knighthood.
I see the other Joker, Latchford, calls for funds to be diverted from HS2 to Kent International Breakers Yard, referring to HS2 as a 'Vanity project'.
You'd struggle to make this stuff up.
Making things up never seems to have been a problem for you 4:48! Most of what you write is from your over active imagination. Seems to me that Roger Gale has enjoyed a prosperous life, got a knighthood and has no problems winning successive elections in his constituency.
What have you achieved. Not prosperous, no knighthood and saying you are up for election, but never actually stand so you have won nothing.
No comparison is there? He is a success and you are a failure.
If a mere member of the public, not parliament, we're walking up and down the high street muttering this shit they'd get sectioned.
I seem to recall a Monty Python sketch which sounded somewhat like Sir Guff's speech last night. It's the one where he speaks for 20 minutes without saying anything of substance.
Anon 5.37
Sorry, you think you know who I am?
What a truly bizarre comment you made.
5.58
The transcript was truly hilarious. Didn't bother tuning in but heard reports that the cleaner switched off the lights and let him carry on guffing away to himself in the dark.
Is he still going? Probably got as far as 1953 by now...
5.37
Tugging your forelock again are we?
Ever so 'umble.....hahahahaha.
Tim - I haven't published your latest comment because it was an exact repeat of what you have just written on your own blog. Do me a favour and can the spam, there's a good fellow.
6:40 presumably anybody could paste anything from Tims blog to here? Youre becoming obsessed again...
According to Sir Windy ( note my curtsy 5.37 ), tomorrow's the end of the two week deadline to save civilisation and the future of the species, starting with RAF Tracey of course.
Is Sir Manston Pickle just teasing us with all of this deadline-baiting? Tomorrow's the end of his '2 Weeks to save RAF Steptoe'
Is he going to be carried, shoulder high through the streets tomorrow with another piece of old newsprint in his paw, screaming 'Potential, potential' as we all gaze on in wonder?
Nah.
ECR - Suzi Quattro!!! ' Can the Spam'. Oh actually, wasn't that..er...oh.
Let's have quality housing, a solar farm with workshops to train youngsters (like they do in that lovely Germany) and a solar-panel industrial unit for them to work in. That alone would provide more employment than Branston-in-a-Pickle ever has.
There's no reason that the chopper companies wouldn't be able to stay either. Remember,it's a big old lump of land that, if parcelled-up properly and with real thought (keep TDC well away from it obviously!) could be so many things to so many people.
There might even be enough space left for a model-aircraft flying club.
Everyone's a winner. Slag these ideas off by all means but what do you want to see. Zero points for Cargo-Hub by the way. Someone else has said that already.
Oh and 5.37, I'm NOT Tim so don't be a silly cow.
Do please feel free to address me by my moniker, 6.48pm. After all, I am mein host here.
As for your comment, point taken. But frankly I can't see why anyone other than Tim would want to do that, can you?
Yes I can 7:16 ie those who support Tims views and want to pass them on. Just as you pass on his twitter comments. Or are you Timtoo...
So the 'Please don't ruin our Plane-Spotting hobby' group are now actively urging people from the whole of the UK to sign their petition. how desperately sad.
Game-over guys and gals.
Front page of Thanet-Extra online will make any future wind-sock flybenight realise it's not worth investing in. 15 years of failure and NO chance of government propping up the airport in the future. Perhaps it's time for Sir Windy to step down and buy it himself. He can spend his retirement playing with his new toy.
Is there really anyone out there, not in care, who supports Tim's views? If there are they should urgently seek help.
The only people who follow Tim are the police!
So desperate are the Save Manston idiots that they are now getting people to pledge money for "shares" in the airport. So far they claim to have "raised" £7,000. The only person who has "shares" in Manston is Anne Gloag. Surely this is illegal? Or at least as bad as Terry Paimter getting people to put £2,000 deposits on flats in Royal Sands?
http://savemanstonairport.wordpress.com/pledge-for-shares-in-manston-airport/
Good grief what an ongoing load of tripe this is!! Just shut the bloody place.
A plane just went over. First in ages. Beginning of the end? Or the start of the beginning?
One plane Ron and still they can't get the route right. Close it down and good riddance
always said it won't close..
the deal is close now, sorry it took so long
http://www.thanetgazette.co.uk/Potential-Manston-airport-buyers-talks-owner/story-21035744-detail/story.html
Gale gets more and more delusional by the minute and the journalists who pump out his crap for him should be ashamed of themselves. The airport will close and that's that.
Where was this experienced and credible consortium when Gloag bought the grass and Tarmac for £1 last year?
If they were the 'right' sort of people with aviation experience, wouldn't they have been aware of the sale?
Perhaps they had to walk away when the bidding went past 50p. No doubt they'll have seen the true state of things up there now.
Come on Rog baby. What's the story?
If they do buy RAF Albatross, will it be assumed that Welch's slide rule was faulty. Doubt it. Scotch Mist as per...
I wonder if we will ever find out who is behind these bids for Manston or what their intentions are with the site?
Or if they real investors?
Maybe its the save Manston group thats put in a bid there make beleave fund has reached £7800
Two scenarios:
Windy's 'Strategic National Asset' is bought by non- UkipwheneverIspeak approved dastardly foreigners who don't like it up 'em,
Or
Windy sets to work on his ' ...Sad day, end of an era, never see its like again, 80 years of hurt, never stopped me dreaming, three lions on the shirt...blah, guff, harrumph...when the election comes don't forget what I did for you ungrateful bastardszzzzzzzz......'
5.16
If they want a 20% piece of the action they could buy this with their pledges...
http://www.rightbiz.co.uk/buy_business/for_sale/100521_kent.html
Has the potential for 150 skilled jobs.
Just a thought and not suggesting any wrongdoing but have there been any checks into how Gale came to ask the VAT question on behalf of these fraudsters? After all as we know from the news this week Tory MP's are not averse to accepting cash for questions. It would be reassuring to know, if the old bill or Customs and Excise knocked on Roger's door, that he was cleared of any dodgy connection.
5.35
Ticks all the right boxes certainly.
A) No night-time frying restrictions
B) Huge growth potential
C) Directorships available on request for soon to be retired local officials.
What a very busy afternoon you have had 5:35 supporting yourself. I see also you have been caught out over on BigNews by some Standards snoop who got you to cough to making up your stories about a councillor. Not exactly having a good time on the credibility stakes are you?
5.35
You see, it has the longest counter in the UK which means that drunks can come in from any angle, in any condition, re-fuel then carry on their way.
It also works as a diversionary counter should other take-away counters be closed.
Apparently the space-shuttle, could, if it was hungry, have landed on that counter.
5.51
?
So, are we putting out the bunting yet?
5.59
Hahahahahahahaha!
4:58 the Gloag sale was for Infratil to be rid of it quickly with the corporate manslaughter charges looming. Gloag and Infratil worked together on NZ Stagecoach hence a quick sale for $1 and debts.
We want Roger
We want Roger
We want Roger
We want Roger
We want Roger
We want Roger
We want Roger
We want Roger
Come on sausage, spill the beans. Wee Willy Epps, M'good self and the other Anons, John Holyer John Holyer (the window to watch), Brown Mac Checkers and Garbutt Roslin are all waiting for the puff of smoke.
Now, if I can squeeze past the queue of investors, space shuttles and Polish military jets, I'm off for a Rum baba at RAF Chilli -Sauce-Mate.
Before I go for my Rum baba, that is, with respect 7.35, total nonsense. Such charges , as such, are not portable in law. Do try harder.
7:12, if it wasn't you why bother to respond. If you really didn't know what I was talking about you would have ignored the comment. You are still dipping on credibility.
The 2 new LibDem idiots on Flaigy's site think Manston is the only aircraft recycling site in the UK?
Again I say has anyone bothered to investigate why Gale asked the VAT question? If only to clear up any suspicion?
Details of the two(?) mystery investors would be more relevant from Gale. Sounds like horseshat to appear to be doing something to the manston Duffers.
I had a dream...its plan B,C,D and E but not always in that order. I have a number of empty brown envelopes. can these be used to keep the dream alive, thankfully the true cost of keeping this dead elephant alive via tax payers money has not cut the mustard at the BIS, so Manston you and Gale are the weakest link feck off?
There's enough hot air emanating from this Save Manston Airport campaign to take a balloon to the moon!
Messrs Montgolfier
My jaw hit the ground when I saw the edited link. They've thrown it out to the whole UK with a plea to ALL residents for support.
Then there's a three hour scroll through guff to get to the poll to vote NO to night flights.
DIRTBAGS!
What planes use manston now
A lot of back-slapping and praise for Gale and Sandys on Sandys Facebook page, she seems to think the whole of Thanet is in favour of their efforts. If anyone fancies putting their head above the parapet and disabusing her it's well worth a visit.
09:06..
Freight:
Nordic Global(MD11,) Atlas Air/Astral Cargo (B747), Magma/MyCargo(B747), Binair (SW4),CAVOK Air yesterday (AN74)
Plus private flying, business traffic, and military..
What cargo and how much is on these planes
9:06, 2:42
Does you question mark key not work? Why do you want to know? Is it relevant?
Yes it's relevant eg fines and Botswana Int Air owing £45k tax.
Presumably these fligths are weekly rather than daily?
Antonovs are banned aren't they? Unusual to have a Ukrainian carrier like Cavok flying into UK?
CAVOK regularly fly in Europe .. why would it/they be banned from doing so?
It flew in and out during the afternoon too, why fine it?
Because 5;15 is the nutter who wants all things fined, everyone arrested and everything changed. It is all rather sad really, but he cannot help it.
From the minutes from the save manston meetings. Whoever did the sums should be asked to produce the books for manston.
"£451.34 was collected in the ‘buckets’ from the attendees. Thank you
£50.00 was taken from that to pay for the extra half hour’s hire of the venue
The remaining £351.34 will be ‘banked’ until needed for costs towards resources for Saving Manston Airport. All expenses will be documented and declared."
Hmmmm
3.59Pm
Sums it all up perfectly.
Manstophiles, it's over.
Your blithering, your antagonistic stance, your inability to run a business profitably, your disregard for us under the flight-path, our sleep, our children's well-being, the future of the town you were dumped in 80 years ago for different reasons, your lies about job-creation, your lies about pollution, the money the whole of Kent has pumped into your begging-bowl existence - you non-job subsidised scrounges, your grey-haired WW11 backward looking town-councillors, your vain-glorious turncoat on night flight MP's, your hatred of Londoners whether wealthy or poor, your excuses, your lies, your ultimate undoing at the altar of the one thing you have spent 15 years telling us to accept - The Market, the Consumer.
It's bitten you bastards on the arse and like the banks, you went crying to the tax-payer, the state, to bale you out. I hope in this instance ECR will allow me to speak for the rest of the population, I.e. Everyone, less the 150 who have cried victim.
Screw You!
Crikey .. Somebody is in need of an early night!
Meanwhile, freight flights carry on .....
And who have you reported it to Peter? Your mum?
That said, the 2.51am remark, which I presume has precipitated your action, was made while blog comments were unmoderated, and on reading it I must say it's a bit rich. It certainly doesn't comply with my comment guidelines. So I've deleted it. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
Have you seen the list of people the save Manston lot have been tweeting to intervene to save the airport? It's hilarious. Vernon Kaye, Ant and Dec, Jonathan Ross, Peter Andre, Julian Clary, Piers Morgan, Sandy Toksvig, George Michael etcetera
Have you seen the list of people the save Manston lot have been tweeting to intervene to save the airport? It's hilarious. Tim Garbutt, and, erm...
And the offer is rejected
It isn't over until the fat man from Ramsgate sings!
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