Prime Minister on Night Riviera (28/05)

[43066]

He would clear our messroom in seconds if he did.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 31 May 2024 ==

Plus there would be calls to the DTM of interruption to our PNB.

I was just about to say the same thing .

 

[DarloRich]

It shouldn’t be the taxpayer under any circumstances, but there are rules that limit private campaign spending. Anyway, not for this thread!

We will be paying for Prime Ministerial travel when Parliament sits ( and his security at all times) but campaign travel should be funded by their dodgy donors.

 

[GBM]

I appear to have had a lucky escape! I was to have taken that train last night, but instead went west during the afternoon/evening of the previous day (1V60 direct from Derby to Bodmin Parkway - and mirabile dictu it didn't get cancelled at Plymouth), and stayed overnight in a fixed, rather than mobile, hotel room.

Many bus drivers eat there and is quite good for what it is.

 

[co-tr-paul]

Correcting earlier post, 0864 5...

 

[irish_rail]

And incase anyone was wondering, Rishi ended his South west sojourn with a helicopter flight, preferring not to take the train again. Says it all really....

 

[dk1]

And incase anyone was wondering, Rishi ended his South west sojourn with a helicopter flight, preferring not to take the train again. Says it all really....

Good. We don’t want him travelling with us anyway.

 

[ainsworth74]

I find this hostility utterly bizarre. Whilst in this case Rishi is unlikely, thankfully, to be PM for much longer, the general idea that people, whose industry relies upon the Government, would rather that the leader of that Government got a shellacking from the staff that run it and, really, would prefer it if they avoided it completely thank you very much is surely just an act of self-harm?

When the budgets are getting drawn up and decisions are being made about support provided to the industry either for ongoing running costs or future investment you would surely want the PM to think back fondly to that trip they took on the Sleeper to Penzance and the friendly, competent and dedicated staff that they ran into? Rather than the railway being some remote thing that they, and all the people they know, never bother with, have no interest in and besides the one time that they did try it* they got the most hostile and surely reception imaginable from all the staff their interacted with.

I'm no fan of Rishi, and I can get why when talking about it here or in the mess room, or wherever else the conversation will likely be quite icy from railway staff. But I find it bizarre that the reaction is "Good riddance, I'd have thrown him out of the cab", "We don't want him travelling on trains with us anyway", as this seems like cutting off your nose to spite your face! Here was an opportunity to demonstrate why the railway is important and why the people that that run it deserve the conditions they have and the wages they get for running it. And it seems, thankfully, those that were actually involved embraced it!

I'm very pleased that the PM had a seemingly good trip on the Sleeper. It's good publicity for the railway as well as for a niche but important service and, if Rishi does somehow win, might give him at least a little bit of a more positive impression of the railway and the people on it.



*(Yes @800001 I can feel you breathing down my neck waiting to comment that he regularly travels from Northallerton to London, but let me have this for effect )

 

[dk1]

I find this hostility utterly bizarre. Whilst in this case Rishi is unlikely, thankfully, to be PM for much longer, the general idea that people, whose industry relies upon the Government, would rather that the leader of that Government got a shellacking from the staff that run it and, really, would prefer it if they avoided it completely thank you very much is surely just an act of self-harm?

When the budgets are getting drawn up and decisions are being made about support provided to the industry either for ongoing running costs or future investment you would surely want the PM to think back fondly to that trip they took on the Sleeper to Penzance and the friendly, competent and dedicated staff that they ran into? Rather than the railway being some remote thing that they, and all the people they know, never bother with, have no interest in and besides the one time that they did try it* they got the most hostile and surely reception imaginable from all the staff their interacted with.

I'm no fan of Rishi, and I can get why when talking about it here or in the mess room, or wherever else the conversation will likely be quite icy from railway staff. But I find it bizarre that the reaction is "Good riddance, I'd have thrown him out of the cab", "We don't want him travelling on trains with us anyway", as this seems like cutting off your nose to spite your face! Here was an opportunity to demonstrate why the railway is important and why the people that that run it deserve the conditions they have and the wages they get for running it. And it seems, thankfully, those that were actually involved embraced it!

I'm very pleased that the PM had a seemingly good trip on the Sleeper. It's good publicity for the railway as well as for a niche but important service and, if Rishi does somehow win, might give him at least a little bit of a more positive impression of the railway and the people on it.



*(Yes @800001 I can feel you breathing down my neck waiting to comment that he regularly travels from Northallerton to London, but let me have this for effect )

He’s also a money man and it’s services like sleeper trains that keep accountants awake at night. Adding an extra coach and all the faffing around that goes with transporting someone of his importance just makes it even more of a basket case.

I don’t particularly like him and wouldn’t be rude but I also do not want to converse with him or will not have his company forced upon me.

 

[InkyScrolls]

If this had have been my loco, he'd have been ordered out of there in no uncertain terms. Politicians of any colour have no place in the cabs of trains, IMHO.

Seconded. No ifs no buts.

 

[dk1]

Seconded. No ifs no buts.

We are normally pre-warned if a VIP is being brought into the cab. I would then pre-warn that they are not and that another driver would need to be found to replace me if they insist. Simple as that.

 

[BogiePicker]

BBC says regular travellers were on the train too - I suppose it would be ridiculous for him to have a whole 8 car train to himself.

BBC post

I often wish I had a coach all to myself!