Thread by @TristanCorkPost

THREAD: The truth about James Dyson moving production abroad to Malaysia because he didn't get planning permission to expand in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England, Britain.
(Not about Brexit or the EU)
pls RT far and wide. 1/n

So there's loads of commentary about James Dyson (JD) w regards to Brexit etc.
One of the accusations against JD is that he moved production to Malaysia back in the early days.
Many counter that with the story that he was refused planning permission to expand, so moved abroad 2/n

This thread won't be about Brexit & Dyson now, but will tell the truth about what happened back then.
On the day Gordon Brown opened an extension to Dyson factory, which employed 800 making vacuum cleaners (& washing machines), JD unveiled plan for a second factory.
3/n

The factory would be built on land next door, but land was owned by absentee aristo called Lord Morton.
He had plans for 1000 homes & a Sainsbury there
I told JD that day 'if Lord Morton won't sell, what's your plan B?'
He said he didn't have one. He was confident he cd buy 4/n

There was a well-attended public meeting to discuss 2nd factory.
Despite concerns, most people saw benefits & generally Malmesbury community looked favourably on Dyson, as it has done in years since.
5/n

Local planners began process of making it possible for 2nd Dyson factory. New draft Local Plan changed designated of that land from agri to business.
But Lord Morton wouldn't sell, at any price, it seems.
6/n

So Dyson never even got to the stage of submitting a planning application for a second factory.
It never happened and it certainly was never turned down.
Meanwhile...
7/n

Dyson had already begun setting up in Malaysia. It made sense - almost all the world's white goods & appliances are made there, & some of the world's biggest markets are there.
8/n

Then the news came that Dyson production was moving there.
It hit Malmesbury & N Wiltshire hard.
Of 800 jobs, around 150-200 were re-employed but 600-650 lost what was a v well-paid blue collar factory job.
But then
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A few years later, Dyson and JD began putting about this myth that they'd been refused planning permission.
It simply wasn't and isn't true.
It was a throwaway line in his autobiography, and repeated on TV appearances.
10/n

I asked Dyson repeatedly about this, but they couldn't provide me with a planning permission refusal.
I wondered if they'd been told by council 'don't even bother applying' but no, the land he wanted was confirmed for business use soon after.
11/n

In fact, soon after, Persimmon Homes built a new regional HQ on some of it.
I asked council if they would complain about Dyson's lie, but they didn't want to upset town's biggest employer
12/n

Dyson did once come back & claim a historic row with council, but this was a red herring. A school site opposite was sold off & Dyson wanted to buy to keep the sports fields, but council had to sell it for max profit = houses.
Nothing to do w 2nd factory
13/n

The myth that Dyson only moved production abroad because 'they' (council planners/NIMBYs) refused him planning permission is now very widespread.
Just search 'Dyson planning permission' on Twitter/Google to see how many believe it
14/n

It's come up again as Dyson is im news re Brexit, & he divides opinion.
Although I've spoken to JD a few times re Brexit, this thread isn't about rights/wrongs of that -it's just an attempt to set record straight & end this 17 year old lie
15/n

What is true is that Dyson has invested BILLIONS into Britain & Malmesbury.
He's expanded site way bigger than that old 2nd factory plan
& employs way more than 800 whose jobs went to Malaysia back then
16/n

Dyson has got planning permission for everything he's asked for. Firm is, on balance & with challenges & issues, a big + for Malmesbury & area, and has huge support overall.
17/n

Irony is of course that almost certainly Dyson's global success & the huge expansion in Malmesbury wouldn't've been possible without the move of production to SE Asia.
We live in a global world.
18/n

But please, & apropos of nothing but a desire for the truth where possible, whenever you hear someone say 'Dyson moved abroad bcos 'they' refused him planning permission', tell them that's wrong & show them this thread.
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For anyone asking how do I know all this?
Malmesbury born & bred & was a/the local reporter based in the town from 1998 to last year. I've followed (& loved & (mostly) supported) Dyson over three decades.
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