Pen Farthing, Staff and Animals need rescuing now
 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-58318898

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has rejected claims the UK government blocked a flight to rescue staff and animals from a shelter in Kabul.

Mr Wallace said he was not prepared to prioritise animals ahead of the evacuation of people "in real danger".

Paul "Pen" Farthing accused the Ministry of Defence of cutting him off after supporters raised funds for a cargo plane.

But Mr Wallace said he couldn't push them through Taliban checks or crowds.

UK's Kabul evacuation at full pace - commander
Ex-Marine: I'm not leaving Kabul without animal rescue staff
'My family is stuck and there is nothing I can do'
Mr Farthing founded the Nowzad animal shelter in the Afghan capital, rescuing dogs, cats and donkeys after serving with the British Army in Afghanistan in the mid-2000s.

Mr Wallace said he had been offered a route out of Kabul as a British passport holder but if the cargo plane landed it would be waiting "hours and hours" for him and his staff to get through thousands of people queuing to escape the country.

"This is about whether the people who work for him and his rescue pets or animals can make it through the Taliban checkpoints, the crowds, the people in front of him in the queue," he added.

"Thousands and thousands of people, some of whom are under really, really direct threat, very dangerous threat because of what they did during the last 20 years, and they have a right to get on a plane as much as anyone else.

"So therefore our priority is getting those people processed and I simply can't push those people out of the way to allow through some of those other cases."

Mr Farthing hit back, telling Mr Wallace on Twitter: "You picked on the wrong person to back down. I served 22 years as a Royal Marine. We don't quit."

In another tweet, he added: "I have been left to fend for myself in Kabul...22-year Marine left behind lines...neither my staff or animals will now get out."

But Mr Wallace told Sky News: "I'm not prepared to prioritise pets over people.

"It is just not going to be the case that I will prioritise them over the men, women and children that we see in desperate need at the gate. I regret that but I don't believe the Taliban's main point of target will be his workforce and indeed the pets and the animals he is looking after compared to some of those other people desperate in front of the queue."

The defence secretary said Mr Farthing's staff had been offered a route out of Kabul but he could not guarantee they would be processed on to aircraft "in this window".


What a brave man this guy is, he could walk away but he won't

A former Royal Marine has accused the Ministry of Defence of blocking a charter flight out of Kabul he had arranged for his charity’s 69 staff and 100 animals.

Paul "Pen" Farthing, founder of Nowzad, a dog welfare charity in Afghanistan, said the UK government had caused a “disaster” over a planned chartered flight out of the Taliban-controlled country.

He claimed on Tuesday that he had been "left to fend" for himself in Kabul, an accusation that was strongly denied by defence secretary Ben Wallace – who also said he would not prioritise “pets over people” in the evacuation process.

Farthing, 52, an ex-Marine commando who served in Afghanistan, raised more than £360,000 to charter a jet to evacuate his staff and animals.

https://www.aol.co.uk/news/ex-marine...091600026.html

it's a difficult one. They can't be seen to be prioritising people with money/support behind them over "ordinary" refugees. I just don't think there is a nice answer

By all means help him to get out.
But his workers and animals are another matter.

He can get out, many of his staff are female, he will not leave

No,Wallace
will not allow a private plane in


Saying people go before animal

He should have asked the USA

He is Ex Military
the Taliban may kill him.

"raised more than £360,000 to charter a jet to evacuate his staff and animals."


He needs to Talk to the American Control Direct
ignore the British.

The Americans run the planes permissions

his point is if cargo is empty why not take the animals, you are not going to put people in cargo, also the plane seats over 200 so they would get more than themselves out, the MoD have cut off his direct line which is pretty disgraceful,

I agree the Americans might help

USA have total control of every plane in the rota

Ignore the UK
Go through USA

Yes, but Wallace
thinks his plane can
not get in the rota.

All these taliban leaders touching down in Kabul.

Are they just wandering off the runway waving at the western allies troops as they wander past?

Or do they have a separate airfield for their private chartered jets?

If penny farthing has paid for a plane then whatever he wants in the plane should be on the plane.

But surely it's up to him to get there and sort it all out.

they all flew in to a different airport not in kabul and the drove the rest of the way

They won’t sanction a plane landing

Ok..

Thanks, I did find it strange.

He should never have gone through the UK.


USA Control every landing plane
get his case on USA TV News.

A Change.



Reported on GMBHD itv.

he should have told Raab, Nick Ferrari has just asked about this and he repeated what Wallace said yesterday

Good news though, Pen putting the cute dog on camera worked :love:

it was probably a cardboard cutout of raab, he is probably still on a beach somewhere

I missed the beginning of the interview so not sure how he handled that one :idc:

Tells you GMBHD itv
is better than Nic on LBC from 7AM


Nic should put GMB ITV
on one of his screens, High up with subtitles
They started a 6:30AM with
Michael Portillo on the long table today.


Nic is Not up to date

any update yet Arista :fc:

Britain's defence minister has offered a glimmer of hope for a former Royal Marine seeking to secure the passage of 200 dogs and cats alongside his animal shelter staff out of Afghanistan.

Paul Farthing, known as Pen, founded the Nowzad shelter in Kabul after serving with the British army in Afghanistan in the mid-2000s, with the organisation rescuing dogs, cats and donkeys.

Since the collapse of the Afghan government, he has campaigned to have his staff and their families as well as 140 dogs and 60 cats evacuated from the country in a plan he has dubbed Operation Ark.

Mr Farthing has waged a campaign backed by celebrities including comedian Ricky Gervais, complaining at the UK defence ministry's stance.

On Monday, Mr Farthing said the British government had granted visas for all his staff and their dependants - totalling 68 people - but the evacuation of the shelter's animals has remained a sticking point.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace had insisted the animals would have to wait behind since the UK would prioritise the evacuation of people aboard RAF flights out of Kabul.

Nowzad supporters yesterday announced a privately chartered Airbus A330 - funded by donations - was on standby to fly to Kabul to rescue the group's workers and animals.

But Mr Wallace said this was still not a "magic wand".

https://www.rte.ie/news/newslens/202...g-afghanistan/


bet Hollywood are eyeing up this story

Sadly not.