Opinion: When will Nick Fletcher realise his Tory pals don't give a toss about Doncaster Sheffield Airport?

She'd just finished her last shift and told me she currently has no job to go or what the future holds for her and her family.

She was upset. Devastated at leaving behind the job she clearly loved and her colleagues who she described as “like a family.”

But she was also angry.

Angry at what she says is the failure of the Government to step in and help save the 800 jobs which will go when the airport closes next week, unless a buyer can be found at the 11th hour.

Talks to that end are ongoing, with Doncaster mayor Ros Jones confirming that owners Peel are in talks with one very credible, serious and interested buyer.

"Why won’t the Government get involved?,” she wrote. “They are the Government, for f***’s sake,” she told me angrily. “If the Prime Minister can’t help us, who can?”

And she’s perfectly right.

The Prime Minister is the person at the top of the tree. The most powerful person in the country. The one who can send the UK to war, make (and break) its rules and generally come up with all manner of decisions and laws, whatever they may be and whether we may agree with them.

Naturally, the shambolic and chaotic scenes of the last few months have tarnished that great office and left us wondering who really in in charge of the country at such a time of great national importance.

Three PMs in seven weeks, four chancellors, you know the numbers.

Against this backdrop, Don Valley Conservative MP Nick Fletcher has spent his time begging his own Government for support.

He’s written letters. A lot of letters. He’s probably been responsible for half the Royal Mail’s workload in recent weeks, he's written that many letters.

Missives have been fired off to fellow Conservative MPs and ministers, basically anyone in Government who might be able to help.

A succession of transport ministers have had a Fletcher letter. Aviation ministers have had them. Jacob Rees-Mogg, Michael Gove, Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak, Uncle Tom Cobleigh and all, they’ve all had a letter. And that’s not to mention the many angry exchanges he’s had (via letter obviously) with Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones and South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard over DSA.

And yet, as we enter what could be the airport’s final few days, not one of his Government pals have stepped up to the plate.

Each and every one has made wishy-washy promises of help. Time and time again, Fletcher has been sold out by his Tory buddies.

Even though she was only with us for 44 days, Truss managed to pledge on three separate occasions would do all she could to help. She didn’t. It was an empty promise.

Transport Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan promised she would help. She didn’t.

Michael Gove, the man in charge of that meaningless phrase ‘levelling up’ also washed his hands of any responsibility. New PM Rishi Sunak and the new transport minister (I can’t even be bothered to find his name as he’ll probably be out of a job in a week) will do exactly the same.

And yet, not once has Fletcher dared to condemn any of his Conservative colleagues. Even when only a handful of Tory MPs bothered to turn up for his DSA debate in the Commons on Monday, he was determined the blame game was in full swing, ensuring Labour took his full ire rather than the inept shower masquerading as a Government who have offered not a single ounce of support.

The Government can and could get involved. It’s the Government for Pete’s sake.

As the upset DSA worker told me, “If the Prime Minister can’t help us, who can?”

This was a perfect opportunity for the Tories to show levelling up in action. Helping to preserve the jewel in Doncaster’s crown.

Instead, the party who smashed down the so-called Red Wall at the 2019 election have washed their hands of Doncaster Sheffield Airport and unless a miracle can be found, 800 jobs and a much-loved asset of the city are set to go down the pan within hours.

And then the blame game will well and truly start. But by then, it will be too late for that DSA worker who told me: “Wouldn’t it be nice to say they did everything they could?

"But they haven’t. We’ve been totally let down.”

And so, the big question remains:

When will Nick Fletcher realise his Tory pals don't give a toss about Doncaster or Doncaster Sheffield Airport?