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TAG Aviation caught rigging on-line poll

Keith Parkins | 27.01.2007 21:08 | Ecology | Globalisation | Technology

TAG Aviation have been caught red-handed rigging an on-line poll to support their plans for a doubling of weekend and bank holiday flights at Farnborough Airport.

Tuesday 23 January 2007, a Public Inquiry opened at the Council Offices in Farnborough into TAG's application to double their weekend and bank holiday flights at Farnborough Airport.

In the week leading up to the Public Inquiry I noticed the results of an on-line poll run by the Aldershot News Group showed a result running at 2:1 against TAG.

 http://www.aldershot.co.uk/
 http://www.farnborough.co.uk/

This I knew could not not be true, as locally there was fierce, overwhelming opposition to any increase in flights by TAG. Something fishy was going on. I suspected TAG were giving their supporters Irish election advice, vote early and often.

On the day the Public Inquiry opened, the poll result had switched to a 'yes' vote for TAG, 62% saying they wished to see an increase in flights, with only 37% against!

The News Group woke up to the fact something was wrong, someone was rigging their poll.

The News Group were then tipped off by someone who lives with a TAG employee, that TAG were indeed rigging the poll.

TAG had e-mailed all their employees asking that they vote on the poll for an increase in flights.

TAG claim there are economic benefits, but these have never been demonstrated, and there are clear and overriding disbenefits to local people who live in the flightpath.

The only benefits, are to TAG's Big Business customers.

At times TAG Aviation come across as a comedy act. They tried to claim that only nine people would be affected by their proposals!

Web

 http://www.fara.org.uk/
 http://www.heureka.clara.net/surrey-hants/
 http://www.thetruthinrushmoor.co.uk/

Reference

Rebecca Chard, Packed public gallery watches hearing begin, Farnborough News, 26 January 2007

David Lindsell, TAG: Only nine people would be affected, Farnborough News, 26 January 2007

Keith Parkins, FACC – March 2006, Indymedia UK, 17 March 2006
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/03/336030.html

Keith Parkins, Expansion of Farnborough Airport rejected!, Indymedia UK, 17 June 2006
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/06/342940.html

Keith Parkins, Farnborough Airport Public Inquiry, Indymedia UK, 20 January 2007
 http://www0.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/01/360434.html

Poll swings to 'yes' after airfield staff encouraged to vote, Farnborough News, 26 January 2007

War of words – but what do they mean, Farnborough News, 26 January 2007

Keith Parkins
- Homepage: http://www.heureka.clara.net/surrey-hants/