In response to a story in The Gazunder alleging that he'd be attending along with usual suspects Sir Roger Gale MP and Laura Sandys MP, Simes sent this rather sharp tweet back to the hacks: 'I have not confirmed anything other than I am working on Saturday!!'
In all likelihood he'll be up in his teeny-tiny plane, hand on joystick, tugging a banner over Old Trafford. Which seems to be his regular gig these days.
Hey-ho. Support for the 'Save Manston' campaign has hardly set the tarmac on fire. I've seen only one 'Keep Calm and Save Manston' poster displayed on the island (in Westgate, natch!), and the mini-mob in the photo seems to be composed of a few old gippers and some embarrassed children who've been dragged along by their grandparents. Do they really think they're going to fill the Winter Gardens? I expect some of you will tell me tomorrow!
Meanwhile it's been revealed via one of those Freedom of Information thingies that Kent County Council couldn't be arsed to even look at the legals when the current owner, Scottish squillionaire Ann Gloag, bought the place for a quid off Infratil last year. Neither, indeed, did KCC's Tory leader Paul Carter, aka Sir Paul Ruddyfaced-Man. And they're not even bovvered about casting their glass eye over any of Sir Rog's current 'negotiations'. Here's what KCC's FOI response says:
I can confirm that neither Mr Paul Carter, nor any officer of Kent County Council (KCC) holds any information relating to the Heads of Terms or the sale by Infratil of Manston Airport. Also, neither Mr Carter nor any officers of KCC were they shown any Heads of Terms either by the buyer or the seller or any third party. Furthermore, KCC holds no information on how many and which businesses who asked for the closure of the airport were prevented from taking it over and in response to your third question relating to negotiations reported in the media, KCC holds no information that you requested. KCC has not been and is not a party to any of these negotiations.
Which is quite surprising really, given the kerfuffle KCC and Sir PR-M have made about Manston. What with their talk about a new railway station, planes 'flying straight out to sea', 'longest runway in Britain', and the like. Not to mention all the lovely taxpayers' lolly they've lavished on it over the years.
The words 'washing', 'their' and 'hands of it' spring to mind. You do have to wonder whether they were just using the place as a stalking horse to chase off Boris Island, thus keeping their lovely, northwest Kent cottages nice and peaceful at night.
Needless to say, Paul Carter, like Biggles, is not a 'confirmed guest' for tomorrow's meeting. Happy landings!!
210 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 210 of 210Joe, maybe you have hit on Pfizer's cunning plan all along!
If Ms. Gloag was so good at business why buy something like an airport with an historic past and then a few months down the line decide to close it. If she was that astute I think she would have left well enough alone. When she found that she was losing money she decided to close it, unaware of the consequences. And as for an individual buying the airport, I am sure Mick Jagger could buy it with his small change, so there are individuals who can afford to buy it, and if they want to keep it as a private airfield then it's up to them, no skin off the taxpayers nose.
Who is the mystery buyer? Vote for one of the following:
1) Richard Branson.
2) Michael O'Leary.
3) Bruce Dickinson.
4) John Travolta.
5) Paul Carter.
6) Frank Thorley
7) Terence Painter fronting a consortium registered in the Cayman Islands.
8) Steve Higgins.
9) David Foley.
10) Richard Hilton
Do any planes fly into Manston no
6:42, you forgot Tim Garbutt on behalf of the Vietnamese ambassador.
Part of the LGA report: TDC is your fault:
There is a widespread belief within the council that its poor reputation is a direct result of a hostile local media, historical local attitudes, confrontational bloggers and the conduct of some members. Whist these issues may contribute to reputational problems evidence nationally suggests the single largest contributor to people being unhappy with a council is their personal experience and negative media coverage can reinforce this opinion. Regardless the council must agree a solution to the impact of toxic member behaviour when it arises.
Sadly the previous Chief Exec of TDC used to stand up during senior management meetings at the Winter Gardens and wave my blog around as if it was a one-man improvised anti-council device, so I'm used to that sort of thing.
I'm happy to be described as a 'confrontational blogger' though, so hurrah!
Aircraft, including freighters, do still fly in to Manston.. as can be seen by going up there
Peter Checkfield. Politicians are supporting those who are shouting loudest at the moment. Manston Savers are putting up a spirited defence, calling done meetings, getting some attendees and some press.
I remember the no night flights group doing the same, and those same politicians were standing in their corner agreeing with the exact opposite of what's being said now. You are obviously naive if you think this is about conviction politics. It's about aligning yourself with the latest fad.
I'm sure that if no night flights had another meeting where 300 of their supporters and press turned up you'd see a line of politicians nodding in agreement.
But no night flights or anti manston supporters won't be holding a meeting. Their argument is won.
Have a good weekend.
I think Richard your findings and facts are way out of date as been shown when you was pulled up on your wrong facts nearly 10 times by someone. I sat there and looked at your twitter and laughed, how can someone get it so wrong lol. Your views on Manston look rather silly because you wont research the place and when you do you will see the positives which you dont want to see. Your blog is one hell of a laugh mate especially because it looks like a 5 year old child did it on his daddies laptop.
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