Wednesday October 24 | 2018
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OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS
Remainers turn out in force
to make their voices heard
ON THE MOVE : Around 130 Remain campaigners from Tunbridge Wells travelled up to London on Saturday (October 20) to take part in the People’s Vote March as pressure grows to hold a second referendum on Brexit. The campaigners are affiliated with the pressure group TW-IN, which was set up after the 2016 plebiscite to represent the only borough in Kent where the majority voted to remain in the EU. See P20
Inquest hears how junior doctor discharged man who later died
Airport expansion plans draw fire amid reports it’s about to be sold By Adam Hignett
A junior doctor, who had been qualified for just over a year, discharged Timothy Mason (above) from Tunbridge Wells Hospital after being “falsely reassured” by blood tests results that he was not seriously ill. The 21-year-old returned to hospital later the same day but died, an inquest has heard.
Full story page 3
CAMPAIGNERS fighting against proposals by Gatwick to bring its standby runway into regular use have accused the airport’s majority owner of cynically publishing the plan ahead of a proposed sale. Opponents of the expansion argue it could lead to an additional 84,000 flights a year over West Kent and the countryside surrounding Gatwick. They have dismissed suggestions by the airport’s Chief Executive that it will have ‘no impact’ on noise. Stewart Wingate made the assurance in an exclusive interview with the Times to mark last week’s publi-
cation of Gatwick’s Draft Master Plan 2018, setting out the organisation’s long term goals for the next 15 years. Under its current planning agreement, the standby runway can
Gatwick say plans will create 20,000 jobs and put £2billion into the local economy only be used when the main runway is closed for maintenance or emergencies, but the 40-year agreement comes to an end in 2019, Gatwick said. The proposals will also be subject
to a 12-week consultation and the airport said it was keen to listen to the views of ‘local communities and stakeholders’. However, community groups believe the expansion plans to introduce a second runway ‘by the backdoor’ are being put forward so Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), which owns 42 per cent of the airport, can sell its shares at an inflated price. Other shareholders in the airport include the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, the National Pension Service of Korea, the Future Fund of Australia and the California Public Employee Retirement System. Speculation has mounted in the
financial press of a possible sale which would value the airport at £10bn since April. Last week, both City AM and Sky News reports suggested a deal was close to being completed ‘within weeks’ between GIP and a Canadian pension fund placing a value of around £3bn on GIP’s share. GIP is expected to retain a management contract even after it sells all or most of its stake, reports suggested. A spokesman for GIP refused to be drawn on the possibility of a sale, stating the company does “not comment on market rumour or speculation.”
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