Ex-GR Nav, Wg Cdr (Retd) Paul Smyth, to run for Parliament

[iRaven]

iRaven is a tory spook? Mole? Or just jealous?

Answer: None of the above.

I just can't stand weasley, half-truth telling champagne socialists - but not so keen on weasley, half-truth telling 'job for life' PPE at Oxford spin-merchants either!

The world would be better off without a profession where there are no real qualifications and all you need to do is is lie and connive in order to save one's chosen job, when you don't really believe it.

All party colours seem to have them (even UKIP )!

iRaven

POLY --- Many
TICS ----Parasites

[Willard Whyte]

Hmm, wouldn't vote for a labour candidate even if I were married to one. Can't say I wish anyone good luck just because we once worked for the same company, hope she crashes and burns.

[Training Risky]

Tebbit was arguably a nasty piece of political work

Whoa there tiger. I am not a tory voter, but i think you are spouting some particularly vile labour spin.

What possible 'recent' history could you be referring to? The 80's?

This is a man who had to stand and watch with dignity as the terrorist who disabled his wife was released early.

[Sophy Gardner]

I might be mad to post this but...

Hi. I don’t have much time to look on the web these days, but I saw this thread and thought it was worth answering because this forum has been so important to me (re Nimrod and Chinook in the past most importantly where this forum was instrumental in campaigning) for what it can achieve. Popped in for a look and saw this about me. Which is a bit weird but fair enough considering I’m a candidate for the General Election.

I wanted to say a couple of things about the comments. In the spirit of PPrune I will probably (definitely!) get a hard time for this - but the RAF is the most formative part of my life so mad though I might be, thought I should…

Air Operations Officer - that’s there because people understand that better plus that’s the title I had in the joint roles I had in my time in the RAF. Flight Operations is fine with me too.

At the time of 9/11 I was OC ASCOT (we all now how unpopular that makes you) and I was the person sitting on the end of a phone trying to sort out where all our assets were and what we needed to do on that morning (I was in the US that day) and subsequently. As you know, the only air assets in Afghanistan for sometime after then were AT/AR assets - and did an amazing job despite a total lack of defensive aids (don’t get me started on that) - and I was the person overseeing that - alongside great planning and tasking squadrons. Clearly, there were many other fantastic people working in the same HQ - I think they would also concede that I was the one mainly on-call 24/7 for ASCOT for several months then.

Re Milosevic - even my bosses didn’t know about that - there were only a handful of people in the UK who were aware - and so I was not just ‘there’.

Re working with military charities - I have done lots of that work free of charge and have been asked to work (paid) at times.

I chose to be member of the Labour Party and so there is no way that I can be accused of ‘other parties won’t have me’. Many of you may not share my politics but those who know me know that I have the same principles and politics I had 20 years ago.

What’s wrong with South London? - Well I’ve not lived there for 26 years and I don’t belong there anymore - I am happy to be living in Gloucester as the first home I have not been posted to. It’s a great place in case you haven’t been here.

How’s it going on Defence issues? We need more people in Parliament who understand the military and will stand up for the people with whom we have served. I am on different sides of the political divide from some, but I love the RAF and will do my best to represent the RAF that gave me the most brilliant experiences of my life. There are MPs on the Conservative side that I am glad to see are ex-RAF and do the same.

I know many of you won’t agree with my politics but I genuinely think we need more of us (RAF/military) involved in politics to stand up for serving military and veterans. Give me a shout if you want to discuss any issues.

With the very best wishes

Sophy

[Whenurhappy]

Sophie,

I think people here should be pleased that you responded. Good luck - whatever anyone else says, you are prepared to stand for something you believe in and I wish you success in this endeavour. Whatever happens, it will be a bit of a roller-coaster experience, I'm sure.

[Thelma Viaduct]

MPs work for corporations, not the electorate. It doesn't matter whether they're self centred sub-human tories or labour, the outcome will be the same.

Same ****, different coloured wrapper.

Just let the MP pricks get on with it, one day soon it will all unravel and they'll be the first to feel the consequences of their nefarious dealings with the corporations and war machine, unless X-factor is on TV that particular evening.

[salad-dodger]

I might be mad to post this but...

I wouldn't say mad, deluded perhaps, like most politicians. Some of us read your webpage. What a waste of time that was. As I said in my earlier post, full of BS and hyperbole. I would like to wish you luck as an ex member of the RAF, but I won't. Not for as long as you associate yourself with the likes of Miliband, Balls, Harperson, Cooper etc

S-D

[iRaven]

Air Operations Officer - that’s there because people understand that better plus that’s the title I had in the joint roles I had in my time in the RAF. Flight Operations is fine with me too.

What a load of rubbish. What next "Directional Consultants" and "Driver Airframe" for Nav/Pilot? If you really love the RAF as much as you claim then you would use the correct title of your branch and be proud of it.

I'm sorry Ms Gardner but your Bio/CV would appear to have more spin and 'sexing up' than I care for - did you take advice from Comrade Tony?

No wonder there is such a swing towards the gurning Mr Farage away from both main parties; people are plain fed up with the whole politics piece. The latest I'm hearing is that Mr Shapps (Chair - Con) has been sexing up his CV too with conveniently forgetting his lacklustre performance at Watford Grammar School that led him to the local technical college instead of 6th form (unlike the new Global CEO of McDs and also ACAS who went to the same school around the same time). Why can't politicians just be themselves? Which I suppose is the current attraction of Mr Farage.

Thanks for the debate, though!

iRaven

PS - here is the piece on Mr Shapps http://www.theguardian.com/politics/...ikipedia-entry

[thing]

I wouldn't bother with the diatribes, polies have skins like rhinos.

I believe that Guy Gibson was prospective Tory candidate for Macclesfield.

No wonder there is such a swing towards the gurning Mr Farage away from both main parties; people are plain fed up with the whole politics piece.

Er... isn't he a part of the whole politics piece? Nicely esconced in Europe enjoying all the perks that office entails. At least the man is fairly straight forward about being a chancer.

[Lima Juliet]

Sophy

Gutsy move to come on here, but I can't help thinking the disection of your web page has forced you to. I also feel compelled to disect your latest post as well:

Re Milosevic - even my bosses didn’t know about that - there were only a handful of people in the UK who were aware - and so I was not just ‘there’.

So now it's OK to tell the whole world what only a handful of people knew? Did you get clearance to release this or did you not have an extant non-disclosure agreement of what sounds like a need to know op? If it was so very "hush-hush" then I am suprised to see it on your CV! Or is it convenient that no one knew about it?

Thank goodness you have the 2 Eds at the helm of your chosen ship - if it were his brother David and Alan Johnson then I would be worried!

LJ

[Lima Juliet]

I've just noted that the quote by iraven at post #29 is different to what is posted now on your web-page:

Sophy is the ex-RAF wing commander who is fighting the Gloucester seat for Labour in next year’s general election. She is deeply committed to establishing a fairer Britain, with an economic recovery working for all, not the few.

She lives in the heart of Gloucester. Having served our country for 19 years, she left the Royal Air Force in 2011 and was one of the youngest women to reach the rank of Wing Commander.

Sophy saw active service in both Iraq and Afghanistan and was awarded the MBE in 2002. During her RAF career, she was promoted at the earliest opportunity at every rank, was the first woman in every job she was posted to, and worked hard to ensure that she left the opportunities for those coming up behind her in a better state than when she found them.

She left the RAF in 2011 and now runs a small business working with military charities.

"The coalition government’s track record of broken promises, failure to tackle mounting debt, and general lack of decency towards Britain’s families inspired me to commit myself to campaigning for a Labour victory in 2015. I promise that I will be Gloucester's representative in Westminster, not Westminster's representative in Gloucester, working my absolute hardest for a bright future for our City."

About - Sophy4Gloucester

Why is that? No mention of Air Operations Officer, either?

I've also found another little nugget of yours:

I supported, and continue to understand, the motivation for the UK’s actions in 2001 when we participated alongside the international community to stamp out Al Qaeda who were embedded and comfortable operating in the mountains of Afghanistan. The RAF led that operation and I was in charge of Air Transport Operations during that time. We were asking a lot of our people, operating old aircraft not properly equipped for the threat, and I think our servicemen and women acquitted themselves well in 2001/2. Later I was in charge of squadron operations as we deployed the Harrier aircraft to Southern Afghanistan in 2005. Again I am proud of the determination of military personnel to make a challenging and complex operation work well.

Read more: Sophy Gardner: My time in Afghanistan | Gloucester Citizen
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I am sure there is a Harrier Sqn OC and some Flt Cdrs that would beg to differ on who was "in charge".

Also, I noted "The RAF led that operation" - that's not really true either. Yes, it was Air Marshal Stirrup but he was appointed the UK National Contingent Commander by PJHQ which is a joint operation. There were quite a few assets from 40 Commando and others actually taking the bad news to AQ and the Taleban whilst the RAF provided AWACS and AAR assets. So even though I am light blue, I wouldn't be so bold to state "The RAF led that operation"!

LJ

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

Taking you at your word, Sophy.


Please explain why Labour's top 3 priorities (Education,Education & Education) caused a drop in PISA rankings in Science from 4th in the World to 20th?
And why, for the first time in history, every scientific institution in the UK put aside their differences and united in opposition to Labour Government policy, joined by the Select Committee on Education of the House of Lords?
If you can't, I can.

Please explain why Gordon Brown decreased the Defence budget 4 times during wartime, then lied about it.
If you can't, I can.

Please, please, explain what happened in Rotherham?
If you can't, I can.

[Corporal Clott]

I now know what Air Operations Officers (read Flight Operations) do...



...they stand in front of the Visual Control Room Staff and get in the way so that the the Tower Controller can't see the aircraft.

Genius!

CPL Clott

[Skeleton]

I was there as a PFOM when the Flight Operations Officer role was introduced and they initially received no training on how Operation rooms, Squadron Ops etc went about there business. Little surprise then they generally floundered when expected to supervise a Station Operations room etc. What ever training they had in my experience had also made them adverse to learning about the workings of TG9 and the role of a AATC within it, the very people they were supposed to supervise.
Fast promotion was available in a new trade, I have no idea of the criteria but the more "experienced" IE failures from other trades did appear to be the ones promoted first.
I remember the prospective Candidate for Gloucester well, not surprised she has chosen to describe herself as a "Air Operations Officer" because she ticked all of the above boxes and then some, libel laws prohibited me from posting what i actually think about her performance.

[thing]

they stand in front of the Visual Control Room Staff and get in the way so that the the Tower Controller can't see the aircraft.

That looks uncannily like our Gazza with the headset on...

[Mahogany_Bomber]

Skeleton,

while you are perfectly entitled to your opinions, including those on the introduction of Flight Operations Officers, your second paragraph is quite odious and indicative of the worst aspects of the casual casting of aspersions that internet anonymity enables. An individual who is courageous enough to come on this forum overtly and is prepared to argue their case, is to be given at least a modicum of respect, whatever you think of their politics or how their CV (which no doubt is trying to be all things to all men) is written.


You say you are unable to speak freely due to libel laws, a poor excuse to attach to the insinuations you are willing to anonymously put into the public arena. As I understand it, you state that she "ticked all of the...boxes" (your words not mine) of:

• no training
• generally floundered
• averse (I presume that's what you meant, no "d") to learning

I've no personal axe to grind here (a Flight Ops Officer myself, you and I would no doubt agree on a wide range of issues about how the specialisation was introduced and subsequently (mis)managed). That said, I never served with Sophy and I know nothing of any detail about her career (and as I'm not a Gloucester voter her political views are of no interest to me), but I do know that she became OC Ops at RAF Valley. Not a bad achievement for someone you suggest had no training, who generally floundered and was averse to training.
MB

[Two's in]

The disappointing thing about US politics is it has become so polarized that civilized discourse is no longer possible. No sooner has candidate A made some announcement, regardless of whether they are a Republican or a Democrat, before Candidate B's media team hit the media with actual pictures of the pig they had carnal knowledge with, the dope dealer they used in high school, and the defrocked priest they shared a summer cabin with.

It's all very tedious and predictable, and as a result, the country is now a run like a 3rd world festering ****ehole, while the DC politicians frantically fiddle over the flames of Rome.

How uplifting it is to see that back in blighty politics is still the arena of well considered dialogue, careful and analytical dissection, and non-partisan support from lofty intellectuals who always play the ball, not the man (or woman).

I'll be writing to my sister in Gloucester and asking her to vote for Sophy Gardner as a matter of principle.

[longer ron]

I'll be writing to my sister in Gloucester and asking her to vote for Sophy Gardner as a matter of principle.

Before you do that - you might want to take a look at the useless dipsticks in charge of the Labour Party - they are atrocious

And before anybody says it - I am not a tory fan - I have been screwed by tories and labour all my life - I have an extremely low opinion of most politicians !
However to vote for somebody just because they are ex 'something' would be a little naive - having said that politicians of all parties rely on naivety from many voters LOL

When some of us vote we probably vote for whom we believe will do the least harm to our country rather than whom we believe will be the best.

Our previous 'leaders' (Broon and Mandy) were absolute shockers

[Tankertrashnav]

Well I still won't be voting Labour, but congratulations to Sophy for stepping into the lions' den. A mauling was predictable knowing the political views on PPRuNe which generally range from slightly left of centre to barking mad hard right.

By the way, K & C is being strangely silent on this! Maybe he doesn't look at Military Aviation?

[Chris Kebab]

Hmmm

Regardless of the politics I do find it rather unedifying seeing those having a pop for whatever reason doing so by hiding behind a shield of anonymity whereas at least Sophy had the balls (metaphorically speaking) to post under her real name.