Flying Lion Ordinary Rendition
Bob Piper and few other left leaning bloggers are getting excited about Flying Lion Limited and bemoaning Guido's lack of digging into it. They have been digging into the company (now known as "Con Air" because it ferries Tories around) in the hope of uncovering something murky. The Bahamian registered company has got them more than a little agitated.
It is hard to see why they are getting so excited since they should already know it is owned by Ashcroft and a quick perusal of the Electoral Commission website shows £19,819.60 given in the last twelve months. In the year before more than £50,000 worth of flights were registered as reported by The Times in May 2006. So the only reason Guido hasn't been digging into it is because it is not news...
(Incidentally Dave flew BA to Berlin last week.)
It is hard to see why they are getting so excited since they should already know it is owned by Ashcroft and a quick perusal of the Electoral Commission website shows £19,819.60 given in the last twelve months. In the year before more than £50,000 worth of flights were registered as reported by The Times in May 2006. So the only reason Guido hasn't been digging into it is because it is not news...
(Incidentally Dave flew BA to Berlin last week.)
30 comments:
Why the fuck do labour supporters think our MPs going in a plane is corruption. Ashcroft is a tory party supporter. If he wants to fund MPs on a holiday, that is not corruption. This shows how far the PC bridgade have takne over politics if a man cannot give a presents to MPs in party that he supports that is called corruption. What joke.
I'm trying to work out precisely what it is that they are getting worked up about.
1-4 November 2004, to Cuba at the invitation of the Cuban Foreign Minister. En-route I visited the Turks & Caicos Islands, St Kitts & Nevis and Grand Cayman. The cost of my flights and one night's hotel accommodation in Turks & Caicos was provided by Flying Lion Ltd. Other accommodation was also provided by Flying Lion Ltd. (Registered 9 December 2004)
So reads Mark Simmonds declaration of interests, going back some years.
20-21 November 2006, to Sudan, in my role as Shadow Secretary of State for International Development to investigate the situation in Darfur. The cost of my flight was met by Flying Lion Limited and in-country transport was provided by the British Embassy and Oxfam. (Registered 6 December 2006)
28 February-4 March 2007, to Burma in my role as Shadow Secretary of State for International Development to investigate the humanitarian situation. The cost of my flight was met by Flying Lion Limited. In-country costs were met by previous donations as shown in Category 4 above. (Registered 12 March 2007)
12-16 April 2007, to the Democratic Republic of Congo in my role as Shadow Secretary of State for International Development. The cost of my flight was met by Flying Lion Limited. In-country costs were met by previous donations as shown in Category 4 above. (Registered 25 April 2007)
2-6 September 2007, to Tanzania, Madagascar and Tunisia in my role as Shadow Secretary of State for International Development. The cost of my flights were met by Flying Lion Ltd. In-country costs were met by previous donations as shown in Category 4 above. (Registered 11 September 2007)
And the same for Andrew Mitchell MP.
Find it very hard to believe that Flying Lion limited themselves to just 2 flights for Mr Cameron in the past year - what about other MP's usage (such as Simmonds' above). Shouldn't the Electroral Commission have a lot more declarations than just those 2?
Conservatives should boycott Cuba until it's dictator dies, and it's people are freed from the slavery of socialism.
anticitizen - there's a powerful argument that we should drop all trade sanctions against Cuba. NOT because it's a peaceful, freedom-loving paradise full of happy smiling Cubans, because it's not - it's a grim, Socialist one-party state with state-controlled graffiti (which is very odd) and a Party office on every block to spy on the citizens. Homosexuals and dissidents are locked up, people are grindingly, horribly poor and it's a repressive and unpleasant place.
No, we should trade with them openly because it's the surest way of opening up the society - the formation of a prosperous middle-class with a vested interest in a peaceful transition of power, and a genuine set of strong institutions founded in the rule of law rather than the rule of the party are two of strongest assurances you can get that a genuine liberal democracy will be installed.
at least you can get a dentist in Cuba. If that's socialism I wouldn't mind a bit round here.
I hit submit too early there - I also meant to add that the Cuban regime wants to be isolated for two reasons; it gives them a moral superiority card to play, and it allows them to control the flow of information into and around the country. Dependence on state patronage also allows the Party to control perks and money, and so consolidate power yet further.
Yes, you might be able to get a dentist in Cuba. And no doubt you could get a decent game of chess in the old USSR. But because the system is inefficient you have to sacrifice a lot of goods & services to get that dentist AND if dentistry is not your priority - tough.
And then there is the small matter of the loss of liberty.
Incidentally, why do the British left find get so excited about Cameron being a toff, when Castro is a spoiled little rich kid?
Ironic when you consider that it has been Labour who have approved and allowed the CIA torture flights that use our airports.
But then again socialism loves a spot of hatred and torture, its an evil creed based on hate not hope.
HITLER
MAO
STALIN
And bob Piper consorts with a creature who beat an old woman to death with an axe , maybe he thinks he would make a good gulag guard.
... and flew back on Easy Jet.
Does anyone else think their uniforms make them look like they work for B&Q?
I am sure we will here tedious jokes about Tory cabinet ministers being nothing but a bunc of drug mule merchant types for Lord crofty. This is a pathetic lie. The party needs to look for information.
off topic
Revealed: Gordon used to regularly tell Tony to 'F off'
Am I too late for the caption contest?
Bush to little Chinese man
"I will have some Crispy fried Noodles please!"
There - that was funny wasn't it?
yes, you are quite right. it is very dull.
are you interested in the blog Madame Arcati? It turns out to have been written by a very dull and fairly unsuccessful MSM hack called Victor Olliver, should anyone care.
Great sppeech from Cameron on immigration today.He's looking more and more like a Prime Minister in waiting.
Thank God the Tories are finally getting their act together to save us from the corrupt, incompetent, sleazy new Labour spivs.
I concur with Guido that this is a 'no news' story. As, I suspect, I am the only person on this Blog to have actually flown 'Flying Lion' I can confirm that at least four years ago I confirmed to numerous journalists exactly who/what/where Flying Lion was. The Opposition need to travel but, rightly so, the tax-payer does not foot the bill for any travel. It is about holding the Government to account, and in terms of FCO and DFID policy tyhe best way is to get on the ground and ask questions. Flying Lion plays a vital role in that cause - which I guess is the real reason why the lefty bloggers and journo's are unhappy
Re Cuba: I was on that trip (along with Michael Ancram, Mark Simmonds and Lord Ashcroft) and can tell you that our Ambassador was most relieved that we had arrived. Due to an EU-Cuba stand-off there were no communications, verbal, written or any other sort between either side. Our Ambassador promptly gave us a list of names and asked us to raise their cases with the Ministry of Justice, which we did.
Re trade links with Cuba: The surest way of undermining the Castro regime is to do away with the US 'Helms-Burton' law. It bans all trade with Cuba and any ship visiting a Cuban port is subsequently banned from entering US waters for 6 months. While we were there we were taken to the Havana Trade Fair, the largest stand of all (an entire pavilion to be honest) was that of the United States. It seems the US can trade 'emergency foodstuffs' (as a result of a severe hurricane some years earlier)and amongst the foodstuffs on display were Wrigley's chewing gum, Ernst & Gallo wine and several brands of hot dogs. We were told quite openly that this allowed US farmers to help the beleaguered Cuban people. Make what you want of this philanthropy. Lord Ashcroft spoke in the Lords on this subject in Dec '04, he makes a good case for engaging with Cuba and against US-style isolationism. - Jonathan Lehrle, fmr Chief of Staff to the Shadow Foreign Secretary (2001 - 2005)
well it all looks above board and declared , does sound a bit air force 1 ish , but hey gordo used to stay with the kennedies at there pad. although i think blair must have the world record for the most blagged accomodation by a PM .
thanks
red despot spotter
Lbaour blog merchant types are comparing it to the mandy loan you know how can Cameron keep a man in his government if he buys him aerop,anes tickets and fine wine etc: What load of crap. If you want somone who has never had his pal greased get a fucking monk.
Mr Anonymous: "If you want somone who has never had his pal greased get a fucking monk. 3.01pm"
Have his pal greased ? Is Liberal Democrat custom, innit?
ps Are they still claiming Ming was abducted and not murdered
Just exactly where does anonymous 'grease his pal'? Strange customs you boys on the right.
I meant had his palm greased You commie c###. Anyway. You boys. There is nothing wrong with getting a bit of grease on your hand from your buddy. I say spread the welath around. You commie wankers go on about redistribution well he's just ving the tories some aeroplane flights what the fuck is wrong with that. No what i mean. Leave a bit for me nudge nudge.
You can watch me grease myself up on the webcam. Fellow tory.
Speaking of transport, who paid for Blair's latest £500,000 limousine? And what happened to the other £500,000 limousine that he swindled the taxpayer into buying for Cherie?
And why has the taxpayer had to pay £3,000 for Jimmy Broon's Saville Row suit when he's paid more than enough to but his own.
Now is there something coming out about the "Dodgy Dossier".
Or are we about to learn the truth about Dr. David Kelly's death.
Perhaps the good Inspector Yates has left his notes lying around the place.
Me thinks the ZaNuLabor mongs do protest too much.
What is the latest NuLabor scandal about to errupt upon us?
As probably the only person here who is deeply involved with aircraft charter I can tell you that the Penguin quoted by Mr Piper has no idea what he is talking about.
Funny that Bob Piper talks about corruption in his non news story.
Perhaps he could talk about arms deals and peers-or is he following the Cunting Al Beeb editorial line of 'see nuffink,say nuffink'
SOCALISTS=THE THREE BLIND AND FUCKING DUMB MONKEYS
Yawn! Agree with Guido. Tis well known this is Ashcrofts vehicle for flying around his Tory chums
Still, Ashcroft is good value. Not least for his hilarious book in which he accuses two hacks at the Times (which persecuted him in the early days of Nulab over his business links) for snorting coke off their editor's desk at some party conference hotel. He actually named the runny-nosed baby daddy Tom Baldwin and his consort Alice Miles! Hilarious
how did he get to Khartoum last November?
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