Mr Osborne tries to avoid the Plebs

[jno]

George sits in first class with a standard ticket. His aide tells the ticket collector he couldn't possibly sit in standard. In the end he forks out £160.

If there's a question here, I suppose it's how much money is it worth to avoid sitting with non-old Etonians for two hours?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/.../uk-politics-20008342

http://www.telegraph....t-in-first-class.html

[boxtops]

.. or in the right place at the right time, sqad

[LazyGun]

It does tend to reinforce this perception that you have a bunch of toffs out of touch with the public.

And it almost certainly will be put on expenses..

[tonyav]

Or have gone to ''right'' school and university, boxy.

[boxtops]

Disgusting story - arrogant so and so.

[jno]

from Twitter:

3rd rate chancellor, 2nd class ticket, 1st class sense of entitlement.

Not that I would endorse such thinking, of course.

[LazyGun]

@jno heh, i like that twitter comment - there are some really sharp wits out there :)

[jno]

other Twitter proposed hashtags: The Great Train Snobbery, The Never-Spending Tory, Trainsquatting and My Fare, Lady.

[LazyGun]

@JNO - they are great :) I see Virgin are now saying nothing happened, so it must all have been the imagination of the ITV reporter :)

[solvitquick]

I would pay nothing to avoid sitting next to Osborne in fact I'd pay both my own and his first-class fares (although he'd still claim for the fare for both of us when I offered him the ticket-receipts as a trap).
I could then ask him the questions he should be asked on TV or by the Press. But as far as the media are concerned he is a reincarnation of the invisible man! Pity he doesn't go the whole hog and disappear up his own ass. Ooops, we public school chaps no longer mention that word any more but it was a fun item when we were at school.
The other b*stard is just having a paid holiday - Cameron will bring him back in 6-months!

[FredPuli43]

A bit of a non-story. His aide tried to avoid the upgrade charge because the boss couldn't be expected to travel standard on that train. Where's the suggestion that Osborne was fare dodging? People regularly pay extra for first class if standard is busy or full. Aren't MPs still allowed first class rail anyway; one of the perks; when travelling to and from the constituency or on any official business? In which case he would gain nothing.

[modeller]

He can claim for first class even if he sits in 2nd class and keep the difference. He doesn't have to produce receipts below a certain amount.

[EDDIE51]

100 to 1 on he was attempting to get away with paying for a 2nd class ticket but claiming for 1st class on his expences. That is £160 he has lost on this fiddle.

[ludwig]

I applaud the guard for standing his ground against the fare dodger.

It's just a shame that we (the taxpayer) will be paying for ticket.

[BayBoy1]

we are all in this together ,nobody will listen to Dave .. Thats the problem with the plebs.

[Gromit]

Fare evasion is dishonesty. A more sackable offence than calling someone a pleb in my opinion.

[humbersloop]

Now why would Virgin Trains want to be nice to the government I wonder??

In spite of the unfolding incident being tweeted live at the time by journalist @RachTownsendITV, in a very different account, the Virgin statement on the event now says

“Rt Hon George Osborne, Chancellor, was travelling on Virgin Trains’ 15:11 Wilmslow to London Euston service this afternoon (19 October).

The Chancellor, who was travelling in First Class accommodation, held a Standard Class ticket. As soon as the train left Wilmslow an aide went to find the Train Manager to explain the situation and arrange to pay for an upgrade. It was agreed that the Chancellor would remain in First Class and an amount of £189.50 was paid by the aide to cover the upgrade for Mr Osborne and his PA. The situation was dealt with amicably between the Train Manager and George Osborne’s aide. At no time was there a disagreement or a refusal to pay for the upgrade. Nor was there any discussion between the Train Manager and Mr Osborne.”

That last last sentence at least is probably true, as George's understrapper was doing his talking for him. As for the rest, nah!

[humbersloop]

I think in the past Boris Johnson has not only called for people who swear at police officers to be jailed, he's also described fare dodgers in London as a "parasitic scourge"
Although he makes an unlikely moral compass for the conservative party, granted.

[EDDIE51]

This gets worse as it goes on. Osborne bought a 2nd class ticket and then decided to sit in 1st class. The entire argument was broadcast live by a journalist using a mobile phone. He or his 'minder refused for nearly 1/2 an hour to move or pay the diffrence . All broadcast live. Now Virgin is telling a load of lies to try to justify it. The chancelor should be forced to resign immediately this is worse than 'plebgate' It was a deliberate attempt to defraud Virgin trains , I can't understand why he and his minder were not issued penalty notices and put off the train at the next stop (if there was one) that is what would have happened to anyone else.

[EDDIE51]

If he knew he ''could not possibly sit in 2nd class''why the hell did he only buy 2nd class tickest in the first place? Definate expenses scam, he was going claim 2x the first class fare on expences and pocket the diffrence.
This HAS to be a resignation matter.