FlightMan

BBC News - MP Winterton's anger at first class travel 'ban'

The man is a fool, but the question has to be asked. Is this the real face of the Conservatives?

Central office has already issued a denial, but the damage has been done. Comments on Radio 5 are entirely negative and many are saying this has decided where their vote will now go.

CrisPDuk

With regard to the First Class travel issue, to be honest I completely agree with him.

He's a bit of a numptie in most other respects though.

Trout

iTrader: (1)

I travel to London most weeks on a Tuesday morning from York and First Class is packed with MPs, their hangers on, members of the House of Lords and the odd Olympic Committee member (the one that lives in Newcastle and jumps a long way in sandpits).

I am not entirely convinced that it is the most important thing in the world. If you pay in advance First Class is not that much more than the cheapest second class.

stilover

Who really cares. Let them travel first class. Surely being an MP should have a few little perks. Imagine if they had to travel coach? All the passengers having a go at them. They'd never get a minutes peace.

Plus, look at the US. Bet all their elected Representatives fly via private jet / Helicopter / Limo.

Leslie

Snotty nosed self important prat I say.

I think they should have to travel coach and if they want to be different, pay the extra out of their own pocket.

I think that it would be a very good thing to have the public have a go at them anyway. They deserve nothing less!

They are in no way short of perks once they arrive in the Commons!

Les

darts_aint_sport

I have no problem with him wanting to travel first class, provided he pays for it. If he has to work on a train every day in order to accommodate for his apparently-huge workload then the man needs to work on his time-management skills or get an assistant.

Trout

iTrader: (1)

Hey Leslie,

do you think that should also apply to officers in the forces and to he SEOs and above in the MOD who all trundle around in First Class?

There are plenty of tax funded people travelling First Class, not just the MPs. So where is the line drawn?

Trout

iTrader: (1)

BTW It is also more complicated as I can travel Advance FC to London for £60 where the full Second Class fare is £110. So which is best?

stilover

Theres only one way to find out............

Trout

iTrader: (1)

jods

Yeah - First class seats aren't hugely more expensive than Standard Class in my experience.

I haven't got a problem with MP's / Senior Police / Judges etc travelling 1st on trains.
Flights - However! Flights under 4 hours should be Economy. Transatlantic / Worldwide should be Business (if paid for by taxpayer). Prime Ministers / CEO's etc - Stick them in 1st but ONLY them. The lackies can travel in Business or Economy.

I'd scrap private jets for Politicians / Judiciary etc. Travel on Scheduled flights only - Unless ABSOLUTELY URGENT and necessary.

Now - there's the point of discussion. What would be defined as ABSOLUTELY URGENT and necessary?

I'd say - Onset of WAR - In that case I'd support private jets for the heads of state etc.

Other than that ???

Adrian F

These are suppose to be the cream of the country running the Government to make the country a success.

No wonder all the good people go into private industry where bonuses are 4 times what a MP earns and nobody makes a public song and dance about a 1st class train ticket

The Dogs B******s

Election,,,,,,,,,,,,,,thought you said erection,sorry,,,,wrong thread

Leslie

They must be on some kind of a perk that I never knew about then. I always had to travel second class, or even third in the very early days.

I honestly do not see why the taxpayer should pay for better than second class for them anyway. Make them travel by bus or the underground instead of taxis everywhere too.

As I said, if he wants to go First, he can pay the extra. Most people have to pay their own travel costs to work anyway!

Les

SJ_Skyline

Yes Nicholas, we're called "voters"

FlightMan

You'd be amazed at how many politicians use private jets.

Xx-IAN-xX

Not too far out as Nicolas Winterton is a pr!ck

Fat Boy

It's less what the cost is , it's more the fact that he hasn't got enough braincells to rub together in order to be able to anticipate what people might be inclined to make of such a publically disclosed view.
If he can get it cheaper as per Trout's comments - then all he would have to do would be to show us the cheaper tickets he is using and everyone would have to STFU. If, as I strongly suspect, he is actually an old school Tory Bufton Tufton who would rather burn his old school tie before he would travel in Chav class or drink Bulgarian Riesling, then either cough up the difference yourself or keep effin quiet.

The man is a moron and Shiny Dave must be banging his head against a wall right now and wishing its was Winterton's head and not his own...

vindaloo

I kind of agree with him but Cameron must have a bump on the head now from bashing it against the wall in frustration.

Mates who work in London and use time on the train to work, tend to travel first class to avoid overcrowding, noise and general hub-bub. That, I think, is the point. He makes it woefully though. Maybe he should consider a new career, aide to the Duke of Edinburgh, perhaps? ;-)

J.