EP136: Illegal Worker Crackdown, £42m Flood Defences & Russian Threats to Kent
The Kent Politics Podcast
Friday, 2 October 2026 - 10 minutes
Kent Politics Podcast Show Notes
Episode Highlights:
- Illegal Employment Fines:
- Three Medway businesses fined a total of £220,000 for employing illegal workers.
- Businesses include Ocean Hand Car Wash, Fireaway Pizza, and Thaal Indian Kitchen.
- Joint operations by local councils and agencies to ensure legal trading environments.
- Flood Defence Project Completion:
- New £42 million flood defences near Tunbridge now operational.
- Designed to protect thousands of homes and businesses from climate change-related risks.
- Features expanded live flood storage area capable of holding around 7.4 million cubic metres of water.
- Concerns Over Water Supply & Development Plans:
- MPs request urgent meeting with Housing Minister over development plans impacting water supplies in Tunbridge and Malling.
- Government insists on progressing with the draft local plan despite concerns about infrastructure adequacy.
- Security Threats & Russian Concerns:
- Potential security threats highlighted following incidents involving plane safety and arrests near an RAF base.
- Former serviceman Henry Bolton warns about vulnerabilities at the Port of Dover amid potential Russian hostilities.
Key Interviews & Opinions:
- Councillor Jamie Henderson discusses the importance of new flood defences in adapting to climate change impacts on waterways in Kent.
- Former military intelligence officer Philip Ingram provides insights into security measures at UK ports amidst rising tensions with Russia.
Listener Engagement:
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