‘Pull the other one, George’

9:00am Saturday 27th October 2012 in Letters By Reader's letter

SO THE Chancellor, George Osborne, travelled first class with a standard rail ticket but it could have been an innocent mistake (The View from Westminster, October 24).

Pull the other leg, it’s got bells on. As all first-class compartments have this on the doors and also on the back of the seats, can he not read?

There is a saying, there’s none so blind as they who will not see.

Osborne has more money than he knows what to do with and still ties to pull a fast one.

Thanks goodness for the guard.

Mrs M Robinson, Broadway, York.

Comments(7)

George Appleby says...
10:46am Sat 27 Oct 12

Free riding!!!! That sums up the whole problem we are suffering from.

Tax 'avoidance'- cheating on 'expenses'- 'borrowing' our savings and pension funds to gamble on the 'market and losing them- protection of the culprits by our 'political representatives'- then and still, making those of us who have anything left, pay the resulting debts- and worst of all, taking from those who have little or nothing the essential life benefits they need to survive.

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George Appleby says...
10:48am Sat 27 Oct 12

He'll be making his way to the House of Lords.

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sheps lad says...
11:14am Sat 27 Oct 12

Can't really understand this. Surely he would be claiming this on his expenses?If he paid for a standard class ticket and claimed for a first then that would constitute fraud.

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roobarb85 says...
12:55pm Sat 27 Oct 12

I've absolutely no time for GO, nor for his smug attitude, nor his policies, but in this case, it's difficult to see what he did wrong.

He travelled by public transport rather than the unnecessary expense of a ministerial limo.

He missed the train he'd booked onto, understandably went to first class on the service he did catch - a reasonable decision for such a high profile politician.

As soon as the guard arrived, the eye-watering (almost £200??!!) excess for an upgrade for himself and his PA was paid.

Much as I'd like to criticise, that all seems pretty much above board. The story's only sensationalised by the ITV regional reporter trying to make a name for herself.

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Magicman! says...
2:02am Sun 28 Oct 12

And the reason for the huge excess is because the department for transport allows the train companies to cream off eye-watering sums for those who have no choice but to buy 'anytime' tickets, which includes buisness travellers going to meetings at short term notice.... and of course not helped by the government increasing the amount that train companies can increase their fares by year on year.

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last of the mandms says...
10:29am Sun 28 Oct 12

Wasn't one of Camerons pledges following the expences scandal or the austerity policy that first class travel would no longer be chargeable? Either way as a politician complete with with PA could have actively sought out the guard. I woildn't like to think our chancellor was gambling on not being caught.

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Zetkin says...
12:38pm Mon 29 Oct 12

He tried to travel first class on a standard class ticket. No, it's not "understandable", it's fare-dodging.

As with so much else it's only a crime when the lower classes do it.

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