To ask if you think ben wallace has done a bad job?

[Needapoodle]

Loads of people on social media calling for Ben's (defence secretary) resignation over pen farthing and his operation ark.

I think ben and his department have suddenly been thrust into a highly volatile and constantly changing dangerous situation in which he has to make decisions for the good of the most amount of people possible. I also think that the insistence on evacuating hundreds of animals will undoubtedly have taken resources away from getting people out of Afghanistan and prevented human lives from being saved. I don't think that calling for ben's resignation over some animals not being able to be evacuated is reasonable at all. Or have i missed something?

So many people buying the Tory spin, depressing as hell.

@Berkeys

Hi Mrs Johnson!

@ConstanceGracy

While I admire his love for animals Pen Farthing is a security risk and he is risking many lives by constantly updating social media with the current plans and telling everyone exactly where he and his staff are at that given moment or in the near future. He seems very stupid for a ex marine .

I have been thinking this tbh. It’s a hideous, terrifying situation, but I don’t think there’s a ‘right’ scenario and a ‘wrong’ scenario, it simply isn’t that black and white.

I think mass-tweeting the defence minister at a time of massive international crisis about one man, his staff and animals is kind of a dick move. There are thousands of Afghans with an equal or better claim to his time, I think forcing him to spend time on this single issue involving relatively few people is ridiculous.

I think his 'Pen and his pets' comment was patronising.

@Audit I’d rather tear my eyeballs out with a spoon than go near that bloated windbag.

@KeflavikAirport

I think mass-tweeting the defence minister at a time of massive international crisis about one man, his staff and animals is kind of a dick move. There are thousands of Afghans with an equal or better claim to his time, I think forcing him to spend time on this single issue involving relatively few people is ridiculous.

I agree with this.

God MN is obsessed with Pen Farthing. Every discussion about Afghanistan is reduced to a discussionabout him.

And I don't think Ben Wallace conducts business via Twitter - fairly sure a minion will be handling that.

The Times is reporting that they be paperwork left behind at the consul provides identifiable information about Afghan helpers which - IF TRUE - is bloody unforgivable

I think Ben Wallace is doing a good job. It's a terrible situation and a huge responsibility.

The UK has flown out 12,000 people so far. That's a massive achievement.

I don’t know if BW is doing a shit job, could anyone else do a better one at this time? The weight of all those people’s lives must be huge, I don’t envy him at all. I didn’t see his tv appearance where he swore on live tv- I don’t blame him for it though- I’d probably swear too if I was under this much pressure.

As for Pen Farthing, I think he probably has the best intentions and I understand his priorities are his staff and his animals, but at this point it seems he’s fighting a losing battle because time has basically run out now. Those poor people, all of them. And the animals. I hope if they don’t make it out that the animals are killed humanely.

@KeflavikAirport

I think mass-tweeting the defence minister at a time of massive international crisis about one man, his staff and animals is kind of a dick move. There are thousands of Afghans with an equal or better claim to his time, I think forcing him to spend time on this single issue involving relatively few people is ridiculous.

Absolutely this. He’s using the UKs love of animals to try and queue jump. As if it was really as simple as hiring a private plane ffs.

Not every Afghan can and will be evacuated. That’s the horrible truth.
They have to prioritise those that are in danger because they worked for or helped the military. His staff are not top priority.

Private charter plane, ex soldier trying to save rescue animals, his staff and take another 100 Afghans prevented at every turn from succeeding. Could have been out days ago if Mr Wallace had not made this a matter of hubris and pomposity. OK to fly out a car though.

Ben Wallace is the only government minister, perhaps apart from the rudest man in politics Michael Gove, who has a clue out of those in the cabinet. If I had to form a government of the Conservative Party the rest of the cabinet would go, some to face criminal charges.

I think he’s done an amazing job in very very very difficult situation that is beyond the comprehension of 99.9% of the British population.
It is utterly ridiculous that he and his staff had to spend even 1 minute thinking about these animals when there are actual human beings to rescue.
It actually makes me furious to think about all the idiots on social media kicking up a fuss. Are they not watching the news about the situation in Afghanistan?

While I admire his love for animals Pen Farthing is a security risk and he is risking many lives by constantly updating social media with the current plans and telling everyone exactly where he and his staff are at that given moment or in the near future.
He seems very stupid for a ex marine

Indeed. I worry that he’s painted massive targets on his staff’s backs and is now about to fuck off on his own, having caused a lot of trouble, at an already dreadful time, for many people, including Ben Wallace.

There are plenty of ministers who have behaved questionably and not resigned. IMO, Pritti Patel would be front of the queue.

Whist Farthing’s aims are worthy I think he was wrong to try to continue to get the animals out when the situation was changing rapidly. He must have had contingency plans and I think his error was not recognising the changing situation quickly enough. Then trying to get BW to sort it for him. I actually find it hugely arrogant, more so if he’s actually compromised the safety of his staff.

I really don’t think that a Defence Secretary’s time and resources should be diverted trying to help out an animal rescue NGO.

@Audit

I cannot see Ben Wallace has done anything wrong. He is uniquely qualified but has inherited a worst case scenario. Thousands of armchair warriors fuelled by self-importance and hidden through anonymity have decided to bully him. For no other reason than jump on the band wagon. There are some weird people in this world.

Totally agree and the constant tweets by the people supporting PF are a disgrace, saying he has blood on his hands and he is deliberately stopping them getting out (like he really has time for pushing a personal vendetta, he looks like he hasn't slept in a couple of weeks). I should also say I didn't even know who BW was a couple of weeks ago so I'm no big fan. I hope PF and his staff get out. The amount of resources that have been wasted dealing with their specific situation is terrible, some MPs have reported that they have had several times more emails about PF and his animals than about anything else related to Afghanistan, it is so depressing.

He has been petty, vindictive and unprofessional. Swearing live on air for goodness’ sake. That alone makes him unfit for office. He is certainly in breach of the Ministerial Code at this point. The man needs to go!

I agree. As Torys go, he is lowest of the low. I’m sure even Boris is frustrated at his behaviour. There were people deleted yesterday for making comments about Ben Wallace though, not sure what’s going on there but all very strange. The moderating on Ben Wallace and Pen Farthing in general has made no sense. Negative comments about Pen have been left to stand but about Wallace have been zapped. I’m not sure what we can say anymore.

@Jennylinda79

Private charter plane, ex soldier trying to save rescue animals, his staff and take another 100 Afghans prevented at every turn from succeeding. Could have been out days ago if Mr Wallace had not made this a matter of hubris and pomposity. OK to fly out a car though.

Just think about the ridiculousness of what you are saying. You really think BW, why is trying to get thousands of people out of Afghanistan in days really has time to waste stopping PF getting out. He has said all along he will not prioritise people over animals and that PF cannot jump the queue, all very reasonable. All of the people supporting PF and his animals have been wasting the time of the government, ministers and MP's.

OK to fly out a car though.

Awaiting someone who claims to be in the know that car contained very ‘important things’.

I think this thread will just get filled up by the same posters as the Pen Farthing who can’t wait any longer for it to be reopened. And the same points will be made. Here we go again I guess. Lots of deletions but some people will be able to say whatever they like. Groundhog Day.

No, I don't think he should resign.

@Jennylinda79

Private charter plane, ex soldier trying to save rescue animals, his staff and take another 100 Afghans prevented at every turn from succeeding. Could have been out days ago if Mr Wallace had not made this a matter of hubris and pomposity. OK to fly out a car though.

@Jennylinda79 His plane could be taking up a space for a bigger plane to evacuate more people though. The time processing the animals is time wasted processing more people through!

Armed Forces minister James Heappey has said:

'He is asking us, the Americans and the Taliban for safe passage but I am afraid safe passage is also other words for being brought to the front of the queue.

'And I just wonder how you feel about having to make a decision whereby we move lots of desperate Afghans out of the way to bring him through because of the profile and the support he has. That doesn't feel like the right thing to do. It gives me no pleasure to say that though".

Like it or not, the difficulty is Pen misjudged the dangerousness of the situation, thinking he could demand to be airlifted first at the expense of others because he is English and has rich backers. He is only one of many thousands of people trying to flee. I hope he gets out today, but i fear he should have got his staff out sooner, rather than wait for the animal permits. Several hundred people tragically died yesterday, it is all so sad, please give the people trying to help them some credit that when they said they did not have the resources to process the animals.

Thousands of armchair warriors fuelled by self-importance and hidden through anonymity have decided to bully him. For no other reason than jump on the band wagon. There are some weird people in this world.

Just like the thousands defending him, for no other reason than they’re Tories and they can’t admit when a Tory has behaved poorly. He has deliberately been patronising calling these animals pets... as for swearing....it’s just wrong in his position.