Sir Roger Gale
Member of Parliament for Herne Bay and Sandwich (including West Thanet)
Press Releases 2026
Roger regularly issues press releases about current topics. We have included a selection of them here which we hope will be of interest to you.
15th February 2026
What are your local priorities in Thanet?
What in Thanet matters most to you?
Fill in the short survey following the link below to share your priorities on roads, housing, development, safety, the environment, and the proposed North Thanet Link Road.
Your opinion matters.
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10th February 2026
Today in the House I questioned the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband, on the SeaLink Project.
In an earlier statement to the House Mr Miliband stated that he championed people - so with that in mind I asked if he could listen to and champion all those who are fighting against the SeaLink Project and put the proposal into the dustbin of history - where it belongs.
Unfortunately, as you will hear from his reply. It appears he is determined to provide “clean energy” at any cost.
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7th February 2026
On 8th January the United States Secretary for the Interior wrote to the Government on behalf of the US Big Game Hunting industry asking our Government to abandon its proposed ban on the importing of hunting’trophies. I took the opportunity at DEFRA questions to ask the Secretary of State, Emma Reynolds, to ignore this interference in our domestic legislative program and to reaffirm the Government’s commitment to the ban.
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6th February 2026
Much sympathy has rightly been expressed for the women and girls who suffered at the hands of Epstein. There is, as I reminded the House at Business Questions, another group of women who were raped or sexuality assaulted by Mohamed Fayed. Fayed is dead but we are still waiting for those who aided and abetted his crimes to be brought to justice.
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4th February 2026
The Prime Minister’s amendment to the Opposition’s Humble Address motion calling for the release of all papers relating to the appointment of Mandelson as our Ambassador to Washington seeks to exempt “matters of national security and matters relating to international relations” from publication.
As Kemi Badenoch made clear at Prime Ministers Question Time it is precisely matters relating to international relations that are of concern. In seeking to suppress this information the Prime Minister clearly still does not understand that the House no longer has confidence in his judgment.
I shall be surprised if this amendment is not revised before the end of the debate.
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1st February 2026
On Wednesday I spoke in the Youth Unemployment debate.
While our local colleges are doing an excellent job equipping students with skills, those efforts are being undermined by a slowing economy. Construction work is drying up, and hospitality businesses are cutting staff or closing, and young people are missing out on the first jobs that once gave them independence.
Young people don’t want schemes or empty promises. They want the dignity of a proper job, a hard day’s work and a pay packet they’ve earned. That is what I fear this Government’s policies are taking away from them.
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29th January 2026
Rest in Peace Ann Well’s MBE.
Ann Wells, The Akela of the 1st Margate (St John’s) cubs and scouts has struck her tent peacefully at the age of 91 with her closest family singing campfire songs at her bedside.
When I arrived in Thanet in 1983 Ann and her splendid husband Bill had already embarked upon years of dedication to Scouting in Thanet and to offering summer camps to some of the most deprived young people in Kent.
Ann was one of the most determined, dedicated, committed and honest people that it is has been my privilege to have called my friends. She was fearless and impressive in her ability to recruit, to her cause, members of the Royal Family, Speakers and Members of the House of Commons, Bishops and ‘local dignitaries’ in support of the young people in whom she so passionately believed.
When God created Ann Wells he broke the mould: she was a unique and very special person whose legacy will live on in the lives of so many people with whom she has worked.
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29th January 2026
I had the privilege of representing Dreamland as its Member of Parliament for more than 40 years until the boundary changed at the last general election.
I was there when the Secretary of State, Virginia Bottomley, opened the refurbished park in 1996. I was also there when the scenic railway was severely damaged by fire and when that gloriously restored and reopened to the public.
The wooden railway is a valuable part of our national and local seaside heritage. It has been enjoyed by millions of excited visitors since it first opened in 1920 and is a Grade 2* listed structure. It would be a huge sadness if future generations were to be denied the opportunity to experience the thrill of the roller coaster in the way that others have for more than a century.
I understand that Health and Safety is of paramount importance and that old fairground rides are costly to maintain but I hope that even at this late stage a way will be found to keep Margate’s scenic railway operational.
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27th January 2026
Yesterday in parliament I questioned the Home Secretary on her proposal to create a number of ‘super forces’ to replace our County police forces.
I remain concerned about how these proposed forces will be able to provide good local policing - particularly in areas with the unique problems faced such as Kent.
We shall need to monitor these developments very carefully indeed.
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16th January 2026
Age limit on access to Social Media
I have probably received more communications supporting the restricting of the age of access to social media than any other- even including ‘assisted dying’.
The Conservative Party’s official position supports the call for restrictions and as a parent of three children and with five grandchildren all under sixteen this is a cause that is very close to my heart and that I wholeheartedly support.
I know that the proposed restrictions will not be universally popular but I believe that those of us in a position to do so have a clear duty to do our utmost to protect children from the pernicious influence of unlimited access to online harm. We need to follow the Australian lead and act now before it is too late.
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14th January 2026
I am gratified that it has been decided that Search and Rescue helicopter activity is returning to Manston Airport in support of operations carried out on behalf of HM Coastguard.
For me, this brings back memories of discussions in Parliament more than thirty years ago about the importance of maintaining effective helicopter Search and Rescue cover for the Kent coast and the Dover Strait. In October 1992, I spoke in the House of Commons about the need for reliable civilian SAR provision in this region and the strategic value of having appropriate facilities close to the coast.
Manston has long been associated with aviation and emergency response, and it is encouraging to see the airport once again supporting this type of essential activity.
I am pleased that an agreement has been reached to allow this to happen and I wish the crews involved every success in their lifesaving work.
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8th January 2026
If reports are to be believed - and we await a formal announcement in parliament rather than yet another leak to the press - then the Government’s decision to extend the business rate relief available to Public Houses constitutes a lukewarm half-measure.
Of course any u-turn will be welcomed by the British Beer and Pub Association, many of whose members are staring into a financial black hole. But unless the concession is extended to include the High Street in general and other hospitality outlets - small restaurants and hotels in particular - then many other small businesses will still face closure.
The answer, as Kemi Badenoch has made clear in a Conservative policy statement, is to scrap the rates on small business premises in their entirety. Half-measures will not suffice.
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7th January 2026
I welcome the Statement to the House, made by the Secretary of State for Defence John Healey this evening in respect of the military support to be given to Ukraine by the UK, France and The United States following a hoped - for peace agreement.
Clearly, as was discussed in the Commons, this raises serious issues relating to the provision of funding, materiel and personnel but the principle is correct: we have stood by the defence of democracy in Ukraine and we shall continue to do so - up to and including security guarantees in the form of British boots on the ground if that is what is required.
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