Sir Roger Gale
Member of Parliament for North Thanet (Margate, Herne Bay & The Villages)
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Press Releases 2024
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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.
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April 16th 2024
Sir Roger Gale said that he has no confidence or trust in National Grid UK whatsoever as he calls for full ecological surveys to be carried out before plans for offshore cables are passed.
MP for Thanet North, Sir Roger Gale has slammed National Grid’s Sea Link proposal saying it is “Unthinkable to anybody with half an eye on the environment and half a care about nature.”
Sir Roger was speaking to presenter Rob Smith as part of Kent Wildlife Trust’s “Talk on the Wild Side” podcast, which was released on Friday, 29th March. It was recorded when members of the trust’s group, calling on National Grid to “Rethink Sea Link” took their campaign to parliament earlier this month.
The National Grid have been invited multiple times to talk to us on the podcast, but we have not heard back from them.
Read the full transcript or listen to the podcast here.
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April 4th 2024
I am broadly in agreement with the view that the sale of weaponry should, following the 'accidental' killing of aid workers in Gaza, be halted.
There is a very fine line between ‘offensive’ and ‘defensive’ weapons and we will also be bound by signed Trade Deals but I have asked, through the 'usual channels’ that we review the licences under which all trade with Israel is conducted and I hope that the USA may do likewise.
April 4th 2024
North Thanet's MP, Sir Roger Gale, has referred the provision of Post Office services in Central Margate to the CEO of the Post Office and to the responsible Trade Minister, Kevin Hollinrake. This move, which is also backed by South Thanet's MP Craig Mackinlay, followed the announced closure of the High Street branch of WH Smith's which currently hosts the post office.
"Given, particularly, the diminishing availability of banking facilities in our towns" says Sir Roger "I regard it as vital in the interests of small businesses and the public that General Post Office services are maintained. I also feel strongly that where alternative premises are being considered it should be the Post Office itself and not the hosting business that is responsible for making the necessary adaptations required for security and other reasons. The Post Office has a lot of ground to make up in terms of its image and closing vital outlets is not a good start!"
April 3rd 2024
The Killing of Aid Workers in Gaza
The killing of aid workers from the World Central Kitchen while delivering food to those in need in Gaza is inexcusable and the Israeli Defence Force and Government have to be held to account for their `carelessness`.
I have advocated and politically supported the delivery of aid from Larnaca in Cyprus to beachheads in Gaza and the fact that clearly marked vehicles, notice of the transit of which was given to the Israeli authorities in advance, cannot be dismissed as an `unfortunate accident`.
I do not regard myself as either pro or anti Semite or pro or anti Palestine and I am not disposed to rush to judgement over an extremely complex situation.
I am, though, appalled by the loss of innocent lives on both sides of this conflict and I believe that it will have to be left to the International Criminal Court to determine what war crimes have been committed and to seek to bring those on all sides, however high and mighty and of whatever nationality, to account.
That may inevitably include the elected administrations in Israel and in Gaza and possibly others.
March 27th 2024
Adult Social Care APPG’s parliamentary event
Roger supporting the APPG's Future of Care Five report. #FutureofCare5, #SupportourCarers @ASCAPPG.
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March 20th 2024
Manston Processing Centre – No Immigration Removal Centre
Home Office proposals to construct an Immigration Removal Centre adjacent to the Asylum Processing Centre have been shelved.
Following representations from North Thanet`s MP, Sir Roger Gale, who met with the Home Secretary before Christmas, James Cleverly has this morning confirmed that “I have taken the decision not to proceed with the Immigration Removal Centre at this time”.
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March 19th 2024
I have personally signed up for the Big Plastic Count
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March 16th 2024
North Thanet`s MP Sir Roger Gale has pledged his support on the issue of puppy smuggling today at a parliamentary event run by the UK’s leading dog welfare charity Dogs Trust.
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March 9th 2024
Please support and nominate the team of Maya's community support Centre. All the volunteers and people who are donating and using services who deserve recognition as they have saved 7,670 tonnes of CO2 going to atmosphere only in one year.
The last day of nominations is Sunday 10th March.
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March 4th 2024
I have today raised personally with Southeastern Trains and the Department for Transport the failure of the ‘school train’ service between Minster in Thanet and Sandwich. I expect a return to a full, reliable and acceptable service in the immediate future.
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February 29th 2024
The too-frequent cancellation of South Eastern rail services between Minster and Sandwich is damaging to students travelling to and from Sandwich schools and is wholly unacceptable. With no alternative bus service young people are in danger becoming stranded. I am pursuing this with South Eastern and with the Rail Minister with the support of County Councillor Derek Crow-Brown.
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February 25th 2024
***FURTHER UPDATE ON SOUTHERN WATER****
After discussing the need to have a water station closer to those villages without or with low water pressure in Thanet, I have had confirmation that Southern Water are now progressing with plans to move one of their bottled water stations to Manston Airport, and are hopeful that the move across to Manston Airport will happen overnight, ahead of opening tomorrow morning. Thank you to RSP for allowing Southern Water to use the airport.
I have also been told by Southern Water that “Some customers should start to see water return this afternoon, thanks to a temporary solution have put in place. We have rezoned water around our network and some customers should expect to see supply return this afternoon over the next few hours.”
Also thanks to Dover Councillor Martin Porter: hopefully supplies will be back on later tonight in Little Stour and Ashstone in the meantime SW are delivering door-to-door where needed.
As ever, please do contact me for further help on this matter.
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February 25th 2024
***UPDATE****
I have spoken with Southern Water’s Stakeholder Manager, John Mealey, to place a water station in Thanet as it is not good enough to expect residents to go to Canterbury.
I will keep residents updated.
Water pressure - Thanet Villages
I am in regular contact with Southern Water following their information that water pressure in some Thanet villages is being affected by a defect.
In order to correct this, it may be necessary to cut off water supplies for the shortest necessary period.
I know Southern Water engineers are working around the clock to resolve the issue and I have been told bottled water is to be supplied to local residents. However, if there are any residents that have not received bottled water please do contact my office where we will endeavour to assist you further or Southern Water’s helpline on - 0330 303 0368
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February 7th 2024
It appears to me utterly perverse that a Judge who is a member of an expert panel set up by the Government to determine planning matters should have decreed that there are no grounds, on ‘need’, environmental or any other matters, for appeal against the Secretary of State’s decision to grant a Development Consent Order on Manston Airport only to have that decision reversed and a right to yet a further appeal granted by another Judge whose expertise is not in planning.
Fortunately the investors waiting to pour hundreds of millions of pounds into job-creating aviation facilities at Manston are staunch and will stand by the project but I am determined to ensure that the legal absurdities of this case are brought to the attention of the Lord Chancellor.
It is a nonsense that an organisation like National Grid appears able to ride roughshod over the environment while a significant investment in the National interest can be frustrated by a handful of people with a bit of money behind them. This has to be addressed-fast.
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The Post Office
January 10th 2024
I share the sense of anger and frustration about the manner in which the Post Office has treated some of its loyal and honest Postmasters and Postmistresses.
The seeds of the deception were sown under the Blair/Brown administration and persisted throughout the Coalition Government formed between the Liberal Democrat and Conservative parties under the supervision of the the Liberal Democrat Minister Ed Davey.