Thanet Villages Byelection. Don’t Vote For Dishonest Farmland Developer Ashbee

A couple of weeks ago I accused Ash Ashbee, the Conservative  candidate, in the  May 1st Thanet Villages by election,  of dishonesty  by failing to reveal to voters her longstanding business links with property developers Guildcrest (see www.iandriver.org).

Both Guildcrest and Ashbee, who worked in a senior position for the company,  have both been handsomely rewarded for  destroying  and concreting  over large swathes of Thanet’s precious farmland against the wishes of the overwhelming majority of village residents.

Ms. Ashbee did not dispute my claims because they are true.

However,  she is now trying to limit the damage caused to her electoral prospects by my revelations about her  close links to greedy farmland developers, by claiming that in April she left her job with  Guildcrest  to become a freelance  Business Development Advisor.

But freelance with who? She doesn’t say. It could easily  be

that Ashbee,  despite protestations to the contrary,  still works for Guildcrest but now in a freelance capacity, rather than a salaried employee basis. Or perhaps she is freelancing for other developers who have their eyes on profiteering from Thanet’s farmland and open spaces.

Interestingly, when publicly challenged by my colleague Councillor John Worrow to name the companies she is freelancing for she made no comment. What does she have hide? What embarrassing business links might she be covering up from voters?

Whether or not Ms.  Ashbee has any ongoing links with companies involved in the destruction of Thanet’s open spaces and farmland does not change the facts.

Ms. Ashbee was,  when  Leader of  TDC,  involved in the sale of  publicly owned farmland to Guildcrest for housing and other developments.  

After  failing to be re-elected to the Council  Ms. Ashbee  obtained a senior job with Guildcrest, perhaps as a reward for selling the land to the company and perhaps,  because she had lots of political and senior management connections at TDC  which would benefit Guildcrest.

Whatever the truth might be, Ms.  Ashbee  tried, but failed,  to dishonestly conceal from voters in the Thanet Villages by election that she has , and probably still continues to profit from the destruction of Thanet’s farmland and open spaces.

Hardly the qualities expected from a councillor by the people of Thanet Villages.

St Stephens Park A Guildcrest development on farmland near Manston.

I am a lifelong  campaigner for honesty in  politics  and am standing as a Thanet Independent Candidate in the Thanet Villages by-election on a platform of Save Thanet’s Farmland and Minster Marshes

Published & Promoted by Ian Driver, Thanet Independent Candidate,  45 Sea View Road CT101BX