The Truth Behind Traingate

No one 'attacked' them, *durhamjen. Don't be silly.

Attacking my son and his wife for not turfing 70 year olds out of their reserved seats is really hilarious. I'm still laughing, Jalima.

the more frantic this thread becomes as it tries to gain attention away from the posts on other threads that outline the car crash that is the Tory party.
No-one is trying to draw attention away from other threads, no-one is stopping you posting on other threads.

No, it's jut a hilarious thread

I did mention stunts by politicians from all parties never end well and usually end up with the person concerned attracting ridicule.
Which is what happened with Traingate.

And in fact GracesGran did intend this to be about Traingate I think - and Branson owing Corbyn an apology.

Any views on forward planning re booking seats or subsequent jokes are nothing to do with the Tories surely?

It seems to me watching from the sidelines, that the worse the Tories are doing both in competence as government and in the polls (no doubt Tory GNs are aware of the latest) the more frantic this thread becomes as it tries to gain attention away from the posts on other threads that outline the car crash that is the Tory party.


I have to tip a grin when I see some of the posts

Jalima1108 the problem with discussions like this is that half the people who comment haven't read, haven't understood or can't read the links. So Corbyn had a reserved seat on the train to conference, someone else had sat in it, he sat in another reserved seat. When asked he immediately offered to move.
And the Fat Controller would want absolutely nothing to do with Virgin East Coast, his railway is well run, passengers are properly looked after and the trains run on time. He probably pays proper taxes as well

always accompanied by a photographer, obviously, otherwise we wouldn't know where he was

Sorry

Jalima!! grin][

But presumably not travelling on the floor of a train else I'm sure we would have heard about it !!

I always try to look on the bright side of life.
At least he was inside

What does all that have to do with Corbyn being on a train from King's Cross to Newcastle, and being accompanied by a photographer on the train?
He has been in Wales, Scotland, all over the country since the election, always accompanied by a photographer, obviously, otherwise we wouldn't know where he was.
That's the whole point of political campaigning.

"without actually asking that consent" refers to the exploitation, not the uncovering of the stories!

Why didn't they just say "Yes, we knew that the train would be crowded so we went along to get some good photographs to illustrate that and force Branson and others to make some changes" ?

Stunts make news, which can be a lever to cause improvements, but the public is inclined to be less sympathetic when they find out that it was set up.

In 1885 William Stead, a reporter/investigator, wrote a series of articles for the Pall Mall Gazette on child prostitution, entitled "The Maiden Tribute of Modern Babylon". He uncovered horrifying stories of the exploitation of young girls (and boys) at a time when the age of consent was 13, usually without actually asking that consent.

To illustrate his articles, he found out how to "acquire" a girl of 13, and negotiated to "buy" one from her parents. He took great care that the girl was chaperoned at all times and intimately examined to prove that she had not been interfered with while in his charge. The stunt led to the raising of the age of consent to 16 in 1885, and to more public awareness of the evils of the trade, but Stead and several of his accomplices were later brought to trial as a result of the unlawful investigative methods they used. Stead himself served three months in prison. (her mother denied on the sale and said that he had claimed to be hiring a kitchen-maid, as if any gentleman would pay over cash to the mother of a potential skivvy)

Brilliant Jalima ! But you know that you've just put yourself up for selection to be "thrown under a train", don't you.

Stunts will always end in failure and ridicule.
Politicians of all persuasions have tried them and ended up as laughing stocks - why don't they learn?

I have just spoken to the Fat Controller and all station platforms have been miraculously lengthened overnight, all trains have extra carriages and no-one - politician, wife of politician, quangocrat, documentary maker, 70 year old, 40 year old or child will ever have to sit on the floor again unless they really want to.

Simples!!

It still doesn't excuse Jeremy Corbyn pinching someone else's reserved seat on the train to the Labour Party conference (see - he failed yet again to reserve his own seat and sat in the reserved seat of someone with a bit more foresight [sigh]).

This is what I like about Gransnet. I find it difficult to talk a subject to death with DH but it's quite possible on GN.

Lemongrove
Very good.
So, lets most of us creep quietly away and leave the minority gnawing away at their Branson bone.

Baggs yes, you are right, so much huffing and puffing about Branson and his millions and much indignation about Corbyn and team being branded as idiots for engaging in stunts , which of course they were.
The train now standing at platform GN has finally run out of steam,after a gruelling but enjoyable journey, stopping at all stations from hilarity, defensiveness, denial, common sense to final destination of exhausted-all-avenues -of -thought where we hope it can rest in peace, or at least take a breather for coal and water.All seats have now been taken.

Spot on again, trisher.

Read the posts Baggs - "should have booked a seat, could have booked a seat". It shows no concern for passengers who have to stand. There are lots of reasons why people can't book-emergency journeys, meetings that finish early etc.
I don't hate Virgin Trains, I do think they should provide a better service and that there was a better service before they took over.
I also don't like someone like Branson who has made billions in this country, is a tax exile and has a company registered in the Virgin Islands telling complete lies about an elected politician.
I have booked seats on trains, I have travelled on over crowded trains and I have sat on the floor. I still don't think everyone should have to book a seat because I understand that some people need flexibility. It's a pity others don't.

Do read the OP again, Baggs.
That is exactly what it's about. Took you a long time to realise.
Apart from the Comrade Corbyn, of course, as none of us are communists, so do not use that term.
In fact the only ones who do are those who are as far removed from communism as it's possible to be.
Strange, that, isn't it?
Are you a closet communist?

baggs
' Me thinks the lady doth protest too much' springs to mind

What a noisome view of the public, trisher! But perhaps you are speak for yourself only.

Echo chamber time, elegran. This thread isn't really about rail services. It's a We Hate Virgin Trains and Richard Branson thread, along with Isn't Comrade Corbyn Wonderful?

Brilliant idea, trisher. Wishful thinking as well, I think.