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.
21st March 2026
Also during English Tourism Week I attended a Canterbury and Coastal Business Club breakfast hosted by The Dog in Wingham.
The famous family-owned gastro-pub has a well-earned and well-deserved reputation for its food and its hospitality but the message from the East Kent business community is clear: hotels, pubs, restaurants and what remains of High Street retail is feeling more than the pinch.
Trump’s War in the Middle East has, of course, already pushed the price of the fuel upon which these businesses rely further through the roof and the recent and tragic, though well-contained , outbreak of meningitis in the City has not helped visitor footfall.
But it remains Government policy that is the biggest threat to profitability.
National Insurance and business rate increases have disproportionately impacted the tourism, hospitality and leisure sectors. And this in turn has curtailed the employment opportunities upon which many young people locally have relied for their first jobs.
As we head into Spring and Summer we have to hope that the Government will get the message, slash business rates and reverse the increase in National Insurance before still more businesses go to the wall.
But with a Minister reported as saying that we should cut fuel consumption by turning off our fridges and serving warm beer don’t hold your breath!
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19th March 2026
For years some of us have been campaigning against the importing of animal foods produced under conditions not permitted in the United Kingdom.
We were told that under European trade regulations we could not control these imports but that when we left the EU we would be able to regulate this trade. It has not happened and, worse, the UK continues to enter into trade agreements that disadvantage British farmers and are bad for farm animal welfare.
That is why I continue to support the National Farmers Union, the World Wildlife Fund and the RSPCA in their efforts to press this government to honour its manifesto commitment to ‘promote the highest animal welfare standards when it comes to food production’.
We need core standards that require all food imports to meet animal welfare and environmental production standards equivalent to those imposed on domestic producers.
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18th March 2026
This week I asked the Justice Minister, Alex Davies Jones, if she would seek to strengthen the protection for women and girls subjected to online abuse.
She has said that ‘The Government will come for those responsible’ for the publication of non- consensual online images. This undertaking was repeated today by the Minister for Science, innovation and Technology but my constituent’s experience suggests that at least one platform is very reluctant to take down offensive material. More work needed!
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17th March 2026
Please see the post below that I hope will be useful to my constituents.
As always, my office is always available to contact.
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11th March 2026
Earlier this week in the House of Commons, I asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps the Government is taking to protect the many British nationals living in Cyprus, as well as the thousands of British visitors who travel to the island each year.
Cyprus has long maintained a principle of neutrality, and with the UK’s Sovereign Base Areas located there, it is important that the safety and security of British residents and visitors remains a priority.
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8th March 2026
On the eve of International Women’s Day I attended, in the House, a gathering of Iranian women organised by the National Council for Resistance in Iran (NCRI) of which I have been a longstanding supporter.
The meeting was addressed online by Madame Maryam Rajavi, The President-Elect of Iran (in exile) speaking from her headquarters in Paris.
Maryam Rajavi, who I have known for a long time and have met with personally, both in Paris and Strasbourg on many occasions, is one of the most courageous and determined women that it has been my privilege to work with and she is a shining example to the many other very brave women living in Iran who have led the call for change and far too frequently paid the price for their resistance with their lives.
Mme, Rajavi has a detailed 10-point plan for the transition from theological dictatorship to a secular democracy in Iran and for the creation of an interim administration to oversee that transition prior to the holding of full and fair elections.
My concern, as I told the meeting, is that the United States and Israel, having satisfied themselves that Iran’s capacity to create nuclear weapons has been destroyed to the point of no return, may walk away leaving a vacuum that will once again be filled by the oppressive Revolutionary Guard and its clerical controllers.
While it must be left to the people of Iran to determine their political future internally, I believe that we have a clear duty to give such support externally as we can to those who, like Mme Rajavi, wish to establish a democratic republic in Iran that recognised freedom and gender equality. We must not leave the field open to those whose evil intent knows no civilised bounds
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4th March 2026
On World Wildlife Day I also joined Naturewatch to show my support for their campaign to curb the use of catapults.
When I was a boy a catapult was a toy made from wood cut from a bush, furnished with a bit of scarce elastic and used to knock tin cans off a fence. Today they are expensive, sophisticated and potentially lethal weapons used in the wrong hands to target domestic and wild animals and birds and sometimes to commit crimes against the person.
The time has surely come to recognise the force and capacity of these weapons angled to limit if not totally ban their use, perhaps under a simple amendment to the Crossbow Act?
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3rd March 2026
I have received the following response to my queries of KCC in respect of the imposition of, due to structural faults, a 50 mile an hour speed limit on a section of the Thanet Way.
While I appreciate the need to conduct a thorough survey of the road in the interest of public safety the fact is that this road was completed, as a 70mph dual carriageway, less that 25 years ago at a cost of many millions of pounds.
It was designed to speed the journey times and to enhance the economy of East Kent and it would be good to think that KCC might inject a sense of urgency into identifying and implementing solutions to this problem as a matter of absolute urgency.
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2nd March 2026
I endorse wholeheartedly the views expressed by my colleagues Oliver Dowden and Lincoln Jopp following the Prime Minister’s statement in the House this afternoon.
Whatever the fallout from the weekend attack on Iran by Israel and the United States the United Kingdom has a clear duty to defend our sovereign bases and other assets, our military personnel and many thousands of UK citizens resident throughout the Middle East.
Following the attack on the UK airbase at Akrotiri (Cyprus) we should surely be deploying our own defensive resources in support of the USA to take out the sites in Iran from which missile and drone strikes are being delivered.
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25th February 2026
A few months ago at PMQs I questioned the Prime Minister - when he was Director of Public Prosecutions why he did not bring charges against Mohamed Fayed for rape and assault. The answers, “that case did not cross my desk”.
So today at PMQs I asked the Prime Minister again, given that the Met Police delivered two dossiers to the Crown Prosecution Service - if the Prime Minister didn’t see them, who did and could he tell the House when he expects the Met Police to bring charges against those who aided and abetted Fayed?
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25th February 2026
Esther McVey’s ten minute rule bill calling for the clear labelling of kosher and halal meat by retail outlets.
I am pleased to be one of the named sponsors of Esther’s bill which was given a hearing without division, yesterday.
In Esther’s speech she rightly talks about animal welfare issues saying “individuals concerned about animal welfare would want to know if an animal had been stunned prior to slaughter.”
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25th February 2026
Meet Bonnie from Battersea Dogs Home.
Bonnie was at the Dogs Group meeting in Portcullis House with a team from Battersea and ‘The Funky Vet Marc Abrahams, to highlight the situation now facing even the best of animal rescue centres.
Financial strain caused by rising energy prices
and the escalating costs of employing trained staff, adoption slow-downs because of cost of living increases, a lack of clear regulation and standards that have undermined public confidence and emotional burnout from dealing with high need, limited resources and increased workload.
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23rd February 2026
I have today challenged the Government to say whether or not the Propriety and Ethics Team that undertook the original ’due diligence’ before the appointment of Lord Mandelson as the UKs Ambassador to Washington will be advising the new Cabinet Secretary in her review into the same Lord Mandelson. The Minister’s response was not reassuring!
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23rd February 2026
I have today attended the Secretary of State’s statement in the Commons on the Education White paper following her many press interviews prior to publication at the weekend. It is clear that many parents with children with special needs who have fought for EHCPs and are now uncertain about their future and are very alarmed.
There will be a 12 week consultation period on the White Paper and I shall be pleased to hear from parents with concerns before submitting my own opinions to the Minister.
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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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