Seeing Red with County Councillor Karen Constantine: Manston, 20’s Plenty, bus cuts and fuel price hike

Cllr Karen Constantine

I barely know where to start. It feels as though a lot has happened in Thanet in recent weeks.

Firstly, the go ahead for an air cargo hub at Manston. Whatever you think – or more to the point – whatever you believe about Manston, it remains a fact, that there are still, so many important and unanswered questions. Not least of all where will the required £500m investment come from? When will it come? Will the CAA give permission for flights? What success will a further Judicial Review bring – I believe more legal action is planned. We’ll all have to wait and see.

My own conclusion is, and here I’m lockstep with many experts including the Government’s own advisors, and the examining authority, the benefits of opening an air cargo hub do not outweigh the disadvantages. My own research and close questioning of those involved has led me to disagree with the proposal since they were first mooted, and to seek further factual clarification from them. I’m waiting for their answers.

I’ve also called for the implementation of a community scrutiny group. RiverOak has agreed. (More on that soon.) Because until, and if, this behemoth is built, it seems our local MP has largely stood down on the issue of economic recovery, regeneration and sustainable job creation in South Thanet. Preferring instead to pin his responsibility for the key area on this one trick pony, rather than to fight for what we really need.

I believe his constant belief in sun-lit uplands, has been a lynch pin in his successive (and successful) election campaigns. Suffice to say he’s not actually delivered any tangible economic benefits. But I would say that wouldn’t I?

Curious also, that our MP has publicly backed Liz Truss in the race for number 10. Yet it’s Rishi Sunak who’s actively talking about Thanet being one of the most deprived places in the County. He believes we need, ‘levelling up. Poverty isn’t just in big cities.’ We could have told him that! (World at One, BBC 4 25/08/22) For once I agree with a Conservative politician – bring it on Rishi, you’re not wrong.

Over the last few years, I have attempted to support Ramsgate residents in their calls for traffic calming measures and speed reduction schemes across Ramsgate. These are long over due in my opinion. We’re told that there’s no need for such schemes and more saliently, there’s no money to fund them.

Because this has been a long standing area of concern, and so many worried residents have contacted me, I’ve now called a public meeting. As a community we really need to come together to call for action. We can’t solve every traffic problem, but perhaps together, we can make a stand and start to get some tangible results.

The meeting ‘20’s plenty for Ramsgate’, will take place on 9th September at the Comfort Inn Ramsgate, 7-9 pm. All are very welcome.

Buses have also been in the news. Cuts are coming, despite our petitions and well attended demonstrations. Labour County Councillors from across Kent have done their best to defend much needed, much used bus routes. The County Conservatives were in disarray on this matter, they voted against their own proposal to accept the cuts by 9:2. Sending the cuts back to the Cabinet that suggested them.

We need fresh thinking. Public transport is a priority. Perhaps this internal fighting is a taste of things to come? We’re waiting now to see whether central Government will pick Thanet in the Beauty parade, that funding public services has become.

Last, but by no means least, I have called on Kent County Council to take urgent action to support all Kent residents who are going to impacted by the cost of living crisis, particularly with regard to fuel costs. The answer – we’ll discuss the matter on September 15th. Too late!

Frankly that’s not good enough. Ofgem has now confirmed that the new price cap is 3 times higher than last year. Even the CBI is calling on the Government for urgent action to support business, they say, “69% of firms expect their energy costs to increase in the next three months, with almost a third anticipating rises of more than 30% “

Some of these price hikes will be passed onto consumers, and some firms will doubtlessly struggle. This is the last thing we need.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has stated that expecting people to budget for this higher rate is unrealistic, and that, “Energy bills will fast outstrip people’s incomes to the point where paying them becomes fantasy.”

I fear this will cause severe hardship across Ramsgate. Whilst we are a community that comes together to support each other during hard times, there is a limit when those crisis’s are on-going.

I want to know for certain, that no-one, especially more vulnerable people, are not going to be left in the cold. Literally. I want action now to keep people warm. Action to ensure people can both heat and eat.

We’re the 6th richest nation in the world. I never thought I’d see the day that poverty would be so endemic, and so many hard working people would be so anxious about paying their bills, and keeping body and soul together. Coupled with the dire warnings of a ‘cost of business crisis.’ Not to mention rising inflation.

The Government need to step in and step up. Better still, call a General Election. We can’t seriously expect the politicians that got us into this mess, to get us out – can we?

114 Comments

  1. Two questions:

    (a) How much are the nearly 25,000 (24,128 up to yesterday to be exact) migrants who have crossed the channel illegally costing us in Kent?

    (b) How many people in Kent could this money be helping people with fuel bills?

    Whether one is pro or anti, questions need to be asked – and answered!

    • If we were still in Europe, under the Dublin Convention, we could have sent them straight back. Thanks to Brexit, and taking back control of our borders, we no longer can.
      It might be better to ask Pretti Patel rather than Ms Constantine about the cost of migrants.

    • Not as much as keeping dreary old farts like you in gas and electricity! Mind you saying that we could stick a hose pipe into you, Bert,Richard and all the Manstonian tendency and that should keep half of Thanet warm over the winter!
      Just one point you might like to take onboard Checksfield me old china, is last night on a programme called ‘All that Glitters’ on BBC 2.
      One of the contestants featuring in that programme, was one of your migrants,a Syrian, who started out making jewellery out of nails in the campsite in Calais before he came over on a rubber dinghy.He didn’t win but he was self taught and has a useful skill that can only get better if we encouraged it.
      My guess is that there is plenty of talent going to waste, if we but knew it on those dinghies.
      Perhaps instead of being a racist bigot, you might like to treat people as human beings, in which there are good and bad in all races,creeds and colours.

      • Who’s being racist? Certainly not me.

        All I’m asking is how much this is costing us in Kent, as opposed to (say) Cornwall or the Shetlands. Sadly, the left regard it “wacist” to even ask such a question.

        • Peter, You’re not helping your questioning or argument by making a lazy dig at anyone with a different opinion to yours by labelng them as “ left or lefties “.
          Surely as an author you could be a bit more articulate with your words than that …..
          It’s just a suggestion .

      • Dear George.
        Many around the World obviously regard This Sceptred Isle as a “safe haven”.
        How did it become a safe haven?
        Why did it become a safe haven?
        History may be a good place to begin to answer these questions.
        Peterloo Massacre anyone?
        Tolpuddle Martyrs anyone?
        Wilberforce? Fry? Cromwell? Magna Carta? Conscientious objectors?
        Throughout all these processes, Britons died for a better future. Today, thousands of Ukrainian men and women are putting their lives on the line to protect their homelands. Why aren’t Iraqis, Syrians, Iranians, Somalians, etc. doing the same to make their countries safe havens? Why are the sons of middle class families running away from their date with destiny?
        The World will never be “safe” until there is a will to make it safe.
        Meanwhile, the children of those who fought and died to make these islands safe are supposed to surrender their birthright to those unwilling to fight for theirs in the lands of their birth?

        P.S. I am aware of Aram’s history and this is not a personal dig. Just a generalist question. Although, it would be nice if there were answers from other than those who make it their business to advocate for others without being asked by them to do so.

          • Not “soldiers’ children”.
            The children of all Britons.
            People often ask, “What is British culture?”, with an absolute DD look on their face.
            Let’s start with Habeus Corpus, the Right to Trial by Jury and, the Presumption of Innocence. All English inventions. Including the right today to not to be called “Racist” or “Sexist” other than by “… a properly constituted court or tribunal.”! One of the consequences of anti-discrimination legislation that many who write and shout such defamatory libels and slanders so often have failed as yet to grasp.
            Not to mention the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Which was written under the auspices of Roosevelt & Churchill, with a little assistance from the French. And who actually drafted the Treaty of Europe that predated the European Iron & Steel Community?

        • My father, my son and I have all served our country.
          I do not feel that I’ve surrendered my birthright.

          • Andrew- what do you think Harry Webb’s idea of this birthright is? And why , in your opinion, can’t all Britons have it?

      • The issue with the migrants coming across the channel in rubber boats is that they are entering the country illegally. They are often referred to as asylum seekers but the reality is that most of them are not.
        Many of them come with nothing to show who they are or what country they have come from or even their age.
        While a few are genuine asylum seekers, amongst them are criminals who have fled from justice in their own country.
        Most of these people have no intentions of handing themselves over to the authorities when they get here and, of course, the numbers reported are only the ones that get caught.
        If the UK was to agree with France a legal passage for refugees to seek asylum in the UK, there would still be people coming across the Channel in boats because they are not refugees.

      • Peter should be applauded for asking questions regarding illegal immigrants without being called ridiculous names by fools like you. I hope you’ve put in an order for a nice rusty bangle made from 9 inch nails.

        • Thank you Lee.

          For the purposes of THIS thread, it’s not important to me whether or not they should be here. I’m just interested in the costs, money that could be perhaps helping others.

    • Based on an average daily cost for accommodation, meals and support services of £100 per person, the weekly cost of support is over £17m.

      A more realistic cost of £150 per day increases the weekly support cost to £26.2m.

      Given an average asylum application takes 26 weeks to decide (optimistic estimate), you can assume the support costs are in the region of half a billion pounds for 25000 asylum seekers.

    • 2 questions, in response to the racist comment by full-time:

      (a) How much money owed by tax dodging by super rich and big corporations could the UK government recoup if they decided to do so? Answer: Between £2.6-67bn, depending on the source (facts here: https://fullfact.org/economy/tax-gap-asylum-benefits/)

      b) How many people in Kent could this money be helping people with fuel bills?

      Whether one is pro or anti, questions need to be asked – and answered! about why some people prefer the racist and hate-promoting point of view rather than hold to account the government their votes supported

    • Oh Peter, peddling the “illegal” migrants myth.

      You call out those promoting racism and hate, yet you fail to realise you sound exactly like every brexiteer sockpuppet account on Twitter, all by peddling the “illegal” myth.

      You won’t get the government helping with fuel bills for one reason and one reason only.

      The sum total of the Tories brexit prize.

      Brexit was, by design, an effort to destabilise the uk workforce, enforce “charter cities”(no workers rights, working time directive or minimum wage in these places) and to remove hard fought and won human rights/workplace rights.

      Lets not even get on to the turning the NHS into an insurance based subscription business model. Outsourcing prisons/courts to private business interests etc al. (see work of sarah and matthew elliot of “republicans overseas/conservative friends of russia” think tanks/vote leave/cambridge analytica/aggregateIQ fame)

      As you’re an avid author, I’d give William Rees Mogg’s books

      Blood in the Streets: Investment Profits in a World Gone Mad

      The Sovereign Individual: Mastering the Transition to the Information Age

      a good solid read and then begin to understand where the uk will end up if the Tories stay in power.

    • You can probably work on lifetime costs of around 1 million plus each ( less any contributions they may make)

      Initial reception and processing ( lots made of the hotel costs for the migrants but little about the costs of processing and reception staff living in hotels in kent alone)
      Accomodation and support costs
      Eventual housing allocation ( assuming a property has to be built somewhere either for the migrant directly or to replace an existing property they are given)
      Education/health / social service provision

      All to repeated when these undocumented migrants then amazingly discover they have relatives able to join them here under the right of reunion.

      Under the countries “needs based” housing allocation these migrants are usually right at the top of the priority list for housing.

      So the 24,000 odd thousand will be a bill of around 24 billion most of it front loaded upto the point they are allocated housing. Not insubstantial sums.

    • What is your problem it’s the payback for British colonialism nothing about the wealth stolen for hundreds of years from all these countries. No different to all the wars created by the UK that’s displaced millions.

      Typical racist claiming immigrants are the problem. You and your backers on here can use as much slogans as possible your behaviour is racist! Should be solving the root cause of the displacement from their own countries that successive British governments have destroyed. Also doesn’t not help when the British are America’s lapdog.

      • “Bully”
        Says it all really.
        Maybe read a little Kemi Badenoch?
        How do you think those from Commonwealth countries who did things the proper way and now have Citizenship feel about those coming from Albania this week?

    • strange that This gov decided that people coming to the UK to claim asylum can no longer apply at their local embassy so have to claim as soon as they reach UK soil.
      Yet stop people from applying for work visas which has cause nearly 1/2million job vacancies in farming which then leads to crops rotting in the ground

  2. I agree with everything you say Karen. Your pieces are always excellent and you really do seem to know, understand and care about Thanet. Qualities I have never seen in anything written by Craig McKinley.

    • That is why you’ve successfully refuted all the points she raised with well researched, factual take downs, isn’t it, Bert? hahahahaha

  3. The situation about buses is very concerning to some of us.
    As a matter of interest, Karen, how many bus journeys did you take during August? How many car journeys?

  4. The politics of protest are great for those in Opposition who intend to remain there.
    Would Councillor Constantine be overtly supporting employees of an organisation subject to the statutory Whitley processes were she Home Secretary in a Labour government?
    Answers on a postcard please – which will be delayed by C.W.U. industrial action!😂😂😂

  5. Apropos Manston:
    I’m quite bewildered. I do not for one moment understand what’s going on. I’ve tried to read the 100s of pages in the SoS’s Determination, and I can’t get my head round it.
    Except that:
    The SoS has put down a number of conditions to which RSP *must* conform before a single white line can be painted down the runway, or new landing light bulb screwed in.
    For example (and potentially most trickey) is the issue of the MoD’s High Resolution Direction Finder aerial. This piece of equipment owned by the MoD and on land owned by the MoD must be moved to a new location. The new location and the equipment have to be paid for by RSP, and approved by the MoD. The DCO says that RSP has to come up with a plan, acceptableto the MoD to execute this work. Given the woeful track record of communication between RSP and MoD, this could take a long time.
    The noise mitigation interventions have to be put in place.
    RSP need to find investors and banks willing to stump up half a billion pounds.
    There are quite a few other issues, too.
    Then there’s the small matter of the CAA licence to actually fly aircraft.
    Then there’s still the much larger problem of actually drumming up customers. More than a dozen international aviation experts are all of the opinion that Manston won’t work.
    So even if the HRDF is sorted, the double glazing of homes and schools happens a CAA licence is granted, and someone, somewhere, stumps up £500M, there still not likely to be planes flying.
    So what is Mr F *really* up to?

    • Speaking of landing lights, did the CAA ever prosecute those who illegally modified the landing light infrastructure to hoist their flags?

  6. “That *WOULD* help …”
    But, to quite a,well-known local philosopher:
    ” We are where we are NOW, not where we SHOULD or COULD be.”

  7. Regarding manston I to wonder who is going to invest in a company run by a struck off solicitor. Would you let him manage your millions ?

    It seems very odd with his career history, yet it seems some people in thanet and the business world trust him.

    • No one.
      Now, were Mamston to be given over to housing development (= large, quick return on investment) I can see Russian Oligarchs (and their BVI equivalents) forming an orderly queue.

      • I asked Mackinlay about the financial backers of RSP as the details they give are very sketchy. I wanted him to clarify if any backing was Russian, his response was that I should find out and let him know!
        As for Freudman, my reading of the case is that he stole client money, repeatedly lied to his colleagues and the Solicitor’s professional standards body and cause criminal damage to vehicles owned by the colleagues questioning his behaviour.
        Seems to me that these questions are a bit more important than how much we spend caring for people who have made an extremely dangerous journey to England. After all “They’re here because we were their”.

  8. With regard to the immigrant comments surely asylum seekers should seek it in the first safe country they arrive in. So why are the European countries allowing them to travel through their countries, and ” turning a blind eye ” so they can cross the channel to England. Are they implying their European country isnt safe?

    • Indeed they should.
      And to reinforce that idea, the UK government is going to send these pesky people to that well-known safe haven: Rwanda.

      • The U.N.H.C.R. and other countries also regard Rwanda as safe and accommodate asylum seekers there. Are you telling me UNHCR is “racist” too?

    • Hi Paul, are you familiar with the legislation about asylum? Do you know the reasons why people apply? Do you just read racist newspapers, or does someone racist reads them for you?

      • Yes, thank you. And You ?? Oh yes, I expect you do, as you seen to know all about it. What part of the government do/did you work in to get all your knowledge??

      • The first safe country principle refers to the practice of refusing entry to asylum seekers who, prior to their arrival in the country where they are seeking asylum, have travelled through an alternative country that could have offered them asylum protection. Now contradict that DFL, and let everyone see how much you really know. Oh by the way we are still waiting for your answer to Peter Checksfield question in a previous post as to what you actually do for a living, but you seen to have ignored that question…

          • What this learned scholar is proselyting are the most liberal possible interpretations of both International and domestic statute Law.
            The Convention was written by Europeans in the immediate aftermath of the largest global conflicts in history. When tens of millions of Europeans were “stateless” within Europe itself.

            English Statute and Common Law both include the centuries old precept of “reasonableness”.
            European and Code Napoleon nations legal systems include that of “proportionality”.
            It is not an unreasonable expectation that an officer of the British Government asks, on behalf of their paymaster the British taxpayer who will be expected to fund the consequences of the officer’s decision, why an individual who has landed on a British beach did not choose to claim asylum in any other “safe” country through which they have previously passed. Nor would it be unreasonable to ask why such an individual had not previously made representations to a British Embassy or Consulate in any “safe” country through which they had already passed.
            The very act of landing on a beach with the intention of disappearing amongst the population should be sufficient to indicate that any individual so doing is anything but a potential future good citizen. Isn’t it?
            The fact that a very few members of the British public appear in Media “on behalf of” migrants does not constitute a majority view. Most people appear to have little or no thoughts on the matter. Or, are so scared of being called names by a few that they choose to bite their lip or remain silent.
            Personally I think that the gendarmes who’ve been slashing rubber boats are doing everyone a good turn. If you are in France and want asylum in Britain, apply at the British Embassy in France! Don’t plead ignorance or play dumb.

          • Be very careful. Are you calling me a Racist? If you are, be prepared for the consequences. I am sure your e-mail can be traced to your real name. Oh and just to let you know, it is not a threat, but a promise. I will take action against you.

          • Nice response Harry Webb, the true views of the english public will never be known because

            A – they’re never going to be asked by the government what their views are in a proper vote.
            B- they don’t want to be abused by the more rabid
            C- they’re too busy trying to provide for their ktih and kin.

    • The first safe country thing is a myth peddled by far right idiots who don’t understand the laws of the country they supposedly love and are dead patriotic for.

    • Hi Paul, re: racism.
      This is a racist comment “With regard to the immigrant comments surely asylum seekers should seek it in the first safe country they arrive in. So why are the European countries allowing them to travel through their countries, and ” turning a blind eye ” so they can cross the channel to England. Are they implying their European country isnt safe?”

      The fact that you cannot see the racism in your comment should alert you. Also, if you could clarify what you mean by “action” in your statement “I will take action against you.”, I’d be most grateful.

      • DFLLM
        The World is becoming gradually more complicated. You are probably well aware that there are now words that one now has to be careful when using. As there are names that it is now unlawful to use.
        Since the advent of the Race Relations Acts, the term “Racist” has particular meanings and its use particular consequences. Accusing somebody of saying something “racist” may lay you open to criminal charges if libel, slander or defamation. As you are accusing a person of committing a criminal offence.
        Given the Presumption of Innocence, the onus upon you is to prove in a court or properly constituted tribunal that what Peter has said constitutes Racism. Otherwise, Peter could use this thread as evidence in a case against you.
        Be careful what you say?

  9. How does anyone know that some of those coming over in the rubber boats are not terrorists, we don’t.
    Anyone who comes into the U.K. ILLEGALLY should be deported I don’t care what colour or race. Manston Airport will be ideal to put them on a plane and send them back to Albania apparently.

    • Hi Bill
      People used to be able to claim asylum in UK embassies round the world.
      Since those lovely tories changed the rules and stopped this you can only apply on UK soil (embassies used to be UK soil) could you explain how an asylum seeker can get to UK soil when we are an island surrounded by that wet stuff

      • Then is it not reasonable and proportionate that they claim it elsewhere?
        No country neighbouring the U.K. is one from which asylum seekers originate. Why accept any asylum claims?

  10. Why does constantine and Ramsgate think that they are Thanet, great news mansion is staying an airport.
    So all you anti airport in Ramsgate can now sell up and move, if not then be happy with what is the right decision for THANET not just Ramsgate

    • Chris

      Lol

      Keep believing in a struck off solicitor !!!

      Have you tried travelling up the thanet way and M2 lately ?

      Its a nightmare and you believe hundreds more HGV’s and fuel tankers are going to get through to manston on a regular basis.

      Yes I will move once the 300/500 million has been used to up grade the airport.

      As I believe that the stuck off solicitor wont be able to raise the funds.
      I believe manston is in the wrong location
      I believe not being on the fuel grid is going to make fuel to expansive at manston.
      I believe the lack of decent roads and rail
      I believe the lack of room to extend the run off area.

      So that’s just wait and see if manston does get up and running before you start telling people to move.

    • Chris, tell your carer to help you type the responses, they are probably going to be more original than ‘if you dont like it, go elsewhere’.

      • DFL, are you implying Chris needs a carer, if so please provide details and proof. Yes there is freedom of speech, but to make allegations that can be proved wrong, well, you work it out.

    • I can’t see why the DCO for an airport has been granted – has Shapps or his stand-in not read all the expert opinions saying, in great detail,why it should not be granted?

      • The junior Minister with all of eight weeks experience decided on behalf of Grant Shapps ( GS had to recuse himself) that the recommendation of the EA could be overruled, not on proven need, but to fit in with wider Government policy. This therefore a political decision rather than a planning one.

    • Chris, Of course Cllr Constantine is part of Thanet, like me and many others who disagree with you. The Government Inspectors reasearched the Manston bid, they found the advantages of having the cargo hub were massively outweighed by the disadvantages. So, given this, why did the Transport Minister allow the DCO? No reasons have been given as yet that I can see, do you know?

  11. Councillor Constantine seems to care about any thing anybody rather than the working man. That’s why I moved out of Ramsgate. Is the Council planning on returning the public money spent on stopping the last airport bid as well as taking sides rather than leading Ramsgate!

    • Strictly speaking, the SoS and RSP stopped the previous DCO effort.
      A JR was applied for; the High Court there was a case to answer; a hearing was arranged.
      But a week before the interested parties were due before the judge, the SoS withdrew his DCO determination, acknowledging that it was flawed (ie, illegal). RSP chose not to challenge.
      So, we should be grateful to RTC and the many, many people who coughed up towards the JR, otherwise we might have had an unlawful airport.

    • You moved out of Ramsgate because Karen Constantine seemingly cares about a multitude of people, just seemingly, not you? Are you really THAT narcissistic to project your own issues on to someone like that “lost voter”?

    • Obviously cares about WOKING class voter?
      It’s the Intersectionalist agenda again. The only possible means whereby a Labour Party can ever hope to garner enough support to possibly gain an overall majority in Britain.
      Angela Rayner is correct. If Scotland leaves the U.K, Labour is history permanently.

  12. How many of you manston airport haters was actually born and bred here? Not many I bet if any at all, airport has been there for decades, played a major part in both world wars, what I can’t understand is these people moving near an airport to begin with as they hate it so much, surely they must have had an alarm bell ringing in there head that it actually might open again? Be the best thing if it does and by the way yes I was born and bred here !! And am for the airport !!

    • I don’t see how Manston’s contribution to two World Wars is any argument for attempting to open a cargo hub.
      Plenty of ex WW2 airfield are now housing estates.

    • Oi, Thanet Lad. I beg of you to provide statistics showing how many former RAF and BA bases are now housing developments.

      I’ll get the popcorn ready for the moment the egg lands on your face. No sharesies though.

    • Maybe they sold the properties in other parts of the U.K. for vast amounts of money, and bought property here for far less money, not realizing that the airport could, and, should become active. Now it has finally happened they are trying to stop it. Thanet Lad, I quite agree with your comments. If they dont like it they can always move…

      • well Paul if a cargo hub is so good pray tell me why airport supporters are moving away.
        In fact one rabid airport supporting councillor and his equally rabid wife have put their house on the market to move to Wales.
        Now wouldn’t it be lovely if he fails to sell because someone wants to build a cargo hub. Karma strikes

    • Well, Thanet Lad, I suppose that if Manston had been operating in asimilar way to, let’s say, Heathrow, quite a lot of people wouldn’t have moved to Ramsgate, especially to the town centre. but as that wasn’t the case, and the airport was much more limited than Heathrow , moving to Ramsgate was a reasonable option.

    • Aaaaaand here we have the ‘born and bred’ argument. Its groundhog day with some of the fumes lovers. Before any kind of aviation we had houses. The first flight ever anywhere was in 1903, so we could not have had planes of any kind in ‘Mansion’ airstrip any earlier than that.

      I assume you agree we already had houses in Ramsgate before any flights.

      Also, how many generations must be ‘born and bred’ in Ramsgate before one is considered a ‘proper’ Ramsgate habitant? Between the pure blood comments and the racists comments, I can see why UKIP was so successful here..,

  13. Andrew are you saying you would rather see manston as another housing estate? The roads round Thanet can’t cope with it all now god knows what it would be like if that was built on 🙄

    • The roads couldn’t cope? Mate, it takes less than 5 mins to drive from one side of manston to the other, in peak “rush hour” times. 20-25 from one side of thanet to the other at the same times.

      You’d be crying into your cornflakes if you ever had to drive round London, Leeds or Manchester at the same times.

      • As someone who drives around Manchester regularly it’s so nice to drive in a calm, relaxed, friendly, polite place. Unlike thanet which is full of angry, aggressive, rude drivers.

    • I was saying that just because Manston was a military airfield during 2 world wars is absolutely no argument for it being a cargo hub in the 21st Cebtury.

  14. Anon, I take it your another manston airport hater? You tried getting through that Westwood cross traffic most days? We are not on about London Leeds or Manchester we are on about thanet,

  15. Karen Constantine’s comments regarding the development of Manston Airport are her own opinions and do not reflect those of the Labour party in Thanet or the views of the many Unions in favour of the Manston Airport development.

    • Any evidence of that support from those unions? Any evidence from that support from Labour? Arguably, we could use the same logic used by Roger MP for RSP “the people elected me for my support of the cargo airport and nothing else” and claim those who elected Karen did so because her stance against ‘Mansion’…

    • At least he would know the difference between ‘your’ second person possessive attributive adjective and ‘you’re’ which is an abbreviation for ‘you are’.

  16. My apologies for suggesting that Andrew is Karen’s spokesman.

    It is obviously Anon.

    (Perhaps HE can tell us Karen’s bus to car travelling ratio? I don’t think she’s going to tell us, for probably obvious reasons).

  17. OK I take it back, Peter Checksfield is not being racist when he somehow equated the increase in energy prices by the energy companies with some poor sods desperate enough to risk life and limb on an overcrowded rubber dinghy. Instead I think he is an influencer, for Liz Truss and Priti Patel. Frankly, I think I would prefer to be called a racist but never mind.
    Let’s take as read that what Checksfield and the others allege, i.e. the migrants are only here to better their economic condition. Let’s leave aside the fact that many are granted asylum, but instead think of what other options we might might employ.
    We could allow them to take a ferry or the tunnel and process their application in a civilised manner. While they are waiting, instead of leaving them in some dreadful hostel, we could act as a legal, decent, gangmaster, and offer their services to the various industries that are short of labour. We could ensure that they get the full protection of the law and that they pay their way. We could provide training for those who have skills that we need and grant them a right to stay for a period of time, so they could help the NHS or social care , anything.
    It is unlikely they would run away, because we would know who they are and they would be earning more than on some construction site where there are being exploited.
    Actually PC, I am like most of us, liberal in outlook, labour by experience, and conservative in my ways.That doesn’t mean I don’t use logic and reason to work out better solutions than the grandstanding offered by most politicians. Rather than snapping like some demonic croc, it would be better to use your brain, instead of your prejudice, when considering an issue.
    The answer to your question ought to be zero, but if is £500m, it is because of a witless policy from an incompetent minister.

  18. I really understand her concern about reopening Manston. It is a very bad idea. First of all the environment. We will no longer enjoy the typical smell from exhaust gases of queuing school run SUVs. It will be mixed with kerosine fumes and the roofs of these cars could suffer tyre marks from the landing gears.
    Secondly it will create jobs.
    Some of Thanet’s most fervent benefit record holders could be given a job. Imagine the panic! Getting up to go to work vs getting benefits and shopping for coke. We can’t do that. No, we really can’t. Imagine the people of Thanet no longer living in poverty. Who is going to vote Labour then? No, we really don’t want new jobs in Manston. Jobs are a nightmare for Labour politicians. Keep your electorate poor and they will keep voting Labour. And that’s the job I am after.

    • “The number of job vacancies in May to July 2022 was 1,274,400” (Source: ONS).

      If people who can work and need to work are not working, it cannot be because there are no jobs. Obviously in Thanet, it looks like people only want a job in the street they were born, so they can walk to it (but not too far!) from the home built just for them…

  19. Harry, I hope you are not charging any fees for your pseudolegal advice, are you? A few factual errors, which the few pompous words here and there cannot disguise.
    And yes, the “properly constituted tribunal” (I’d love to know if “properly constituted” were necessary at all, but not sure if libel cases go there…) would have their attention directed to the one word in the comment and would have no trouble agreeing with the interpretation. Even if the case is argued by one of those woke leftist lawyers so despised by the Toryhood!

    • “Pompous”.
      The new word of derision. Both yourself and Rockstar have used it at me in the past couple of days.
      Read the Preambles to the various Nationality & Immigration Acts over time. Parliament has never invited anyone to claim asylum. Parliament is the legislature. It’s made up of people elected to represent the collective view of the majority over time. That majority and their representatives don’t agree with you.
      Bye bye!

  20. A resurrected airport at Manston will create fewer jobs than the opening of the Spoons in Ramsgate.
    Since 2014 the tourism and hospitality industries have been flourishing, with alfresco cafe culture springing up all along Ramsgate’s sea front.
    York Aviation (international Aviation experts) have given a recent opinion that a re-opened Manston could, if all the factors were favourable, attract the service level it used to have before it closed (about 2000 Air Traffic Movements a year).
    This level of service resulted in Manston going bust (again), losing £10,000 a day. The threshold for a DCO is 10,000 ATMs, not 2000.

  21. And another thing.
    The DCO published by the SoS says”
    21.—(1) The operation of the airport is subject to—
    (a) a total annual cargo air transport movement limit of 17,170;”

    Why?
    If (a big leap of credibility) Manston turns out to be commercially successful, why would the SoS curtail the ability of the airport to make money, and hence to meet its obligations to creditors such as investors and banks?
    Seems bonkers to me.
    Perhaps someone would explain?

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