irony and xenophobia

During the last 3 years it has become apparent that some of the people supporting the Manston Airport campaign are being played for fools by Riveroak and that they (RO) are using every propaganda tool in their toolbox to drum up continued support.
Some of the slogans have roots in UKIP's election campaign in 2015 and in Trump's presidential campaign in 2016. From megaphone man's entreaty that 10000 homes will be built and filled with slum tenants from London overspill to Gloag developing Gloagsville garden town the campaign has been filled with xenophobic comments and the post truth (lies) has been utilised by Riveroak and Roger Gale to ensure continued support for planes flying again.

So it did surprise me that Carol's comment didn't generate some criticism or at least some recognition that the remark was somewhat wide of the mark. "Bloody newbies" .... " they think they know what Thanet needs". It did generate some likes from people who it seems go along with these remarks.

I suspect the irony was missed completely, so I will spell it out.
The Campaign on behalf of a US Real Estate Company is led by Beau Webber or to give him his full name John Beausire Wyatt Webber. Was he born Thanet? However he is telling you what to do and funnily enough his sidekick Pritchard isn't Thanet born either.

 Still they aren't alone Roger Gale wasn't born in Thanet and neither is Craig Mackinlay.

Still what is clear is the support is single minded about their heroes Riveroak who it seems have £400M to invest in Manston which comes as a surprise when you consider the group only had $11M when they discussed this with TDC in late 2014 ( oh and a credit line of $400K unused) No wonder they wanted everything kept confidential.

What is also unusual is this credit line is from a rather small NY bank which was acquired by another bank (Sterling National Bank) in 2015. So if RO are such a huge company why do they bank with such a tiny entity?

So what of their knight in shining armour Anthony Freudmann was he perhaps born in Thanet? Well no.

This is his CV from the RO website which rather glosses over his business career and the fact that he was a practising solicitor until he was struck off for 23 counts of "misappropriation of clients funds" and he chose to resign from Shropshire CC because these offenses would have caused the Council to be sack him for bringing the council into disrespect. This CV is much more accurate.

It seems that much of the angst stems from xenophobia and several conversations I have had with people hinge on their belief that Manston was lost because people from outside the border of Thanet are interfering in Thanet matters except that it is people from outside of Thanet that are leading the campaign as well so it is somewhat hypocritical to use that as a reason when no referendum in Thanet has ever taken place.
Still this campaign has been dogged by lies and propaganda from the start. Lies like Riveroak own Canary Wharf and Center Parc and that TDC are governed by who pays the most in "Brown Envelopes" none of which are true but if it influences the supporters then why not.
Still there have been light hearted moments like a TDC Councillor (Ex-UKIP until he founded DIGgers) who fooled everybody into believing he was a decorated war hero

and the stringer for the BBC, who thinks he is a real reporter, who turned into a complete prat when he got hoisted by the Walter Mitty Hunters

Oh and Smee is it time yet to discuss your letter to Mr.Weirdy Beardy who lives in Kingsgate?

So to summarise You can only decide on what happens in Thanet if you are Thanet born. You can only live in Thanet if you are born in Thanet and when TDC build that wall round the island I suspect you might have to pay a toll to get on the Island. Unless that is you are Riveroak and our two MP's.