Tory MP's Views on First Class vs Standard Class on British Trains
Mar 23rd, 2010, 08:11 AM
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Tory MP's Views on First Class vs Standard Class on British Trains
"A Conservative MP, Sir Nicholas Winterton, a member of Parliament for the last 39 years, shared his thoughts on why MPs should be allowed to travel on expense in first class on trains to avoid exposure to the common man' (NYTimes article says)
And here is what Sir Winterton says about first and standard (2nd) classes on UK trains:
"They are a totally different type of people," Sir Winterton declared in a radio interview, speaking about the relative ghastliness of people in standard class train cars - there's lots of children, there's noise, there's activity. I like to have peace and quiet when i'm travelling."
And though i do like to mix with the common bloke i prefer to do this in pubs not on trains - Sir Winterton has pointed out the huge difference between first and standard class on trains - IME standard class is invariable jammed full - seats are tinier than any in Europe and there are drinks cans, rumpled newspapers, snack wrappers, etc all about - first class is the opposite - the difference being greated between classes than on any other European rail system i have been on.
In Britain IMO it pays to pay more for first class and all the leisurely and quiet travel it brings.
Unfortunately Sir Winterton is tone deaf as his words just before a national election has just reinforced the notion that Tories are stuffed shirts disdaining any interaction with the common bloke.
Election Looming, Tories Put Posh Foot in Mouth Great Britain ...
Mar 23, 2010 ... Election Looming, Tories Put Posh Foot in Mouth Great Britain Cameron, David Winterton, Nicholas Conservative Party Politics and Government ...
http://www.nytimes.com/services/xml/.../23britain.xml - 14 hours ago
And here is what Sir Winterton says about first and standard (2nd) classes on UK trains:
"They are a totally different type of people," Sir Winterton declared in a radio interview, speaking about the relative ghastliness of people in standard class train cars - there's lots of children, there's noise, there's activity. I like to have peace and quiet when i'm travelling."
And though i do like to mix with the common bloke i prefer to do this in pubs not on trains - Sir Winterton has pointed out the huge difference between first and standard class on trains - IME standard class is invariable jammed full - seats are tinier than any in Europe and there are drinks cans, rumpled newspapers, snack wrappers, etc all about - first class is the opposite - the difference being greated between classes than on any other European rail system i have been on.
In Britain IMO it pays to pay more for first class and all the leisurely and quiet travel it brings.
Unfortunately Sir Winterton is tone deaf as his words just before a national election has just reinforced the notion that Tories are stuffed shirts disdaining any interaction with the common bloke.
Election Looming, Tories Put Posh Foot in Mouth Great Britain ...
Mar 23, 2010 ... Election Looming, Tories Put Posh Foot in Mouth Great Britain Cameron, David Winterton, Nicholas Conservative Party Politics and Government ...
http://www.nytimes.com/services/xml/.../23britain.xml - 14 hours ago
Mar 23rd, 2010, 08:26 AM
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Last week's fish wrap, PQ. He and his wife are well known as liabilities to the Tories, on several grounds, and both are standing down.
If the story then was foot in mouth, this morning's is bun in oven:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2...ories-election
Meanwhile, three Labour ex-ministers (also standing down this time) have been made to look on the sleazy side of foolish in talking to people they thought might be lobbyists offering them jobs, and another Tory has been stoking up a "political correctness" row with a local race equality group over some crass remarks he made about burkas.
And so the gallimaufry rolls on to polling day....
If the story then was foot in mouth, this morning's is bun in oven:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2...ories-election
Meanwhile, three Labour ex-ministers (also standing down this time) have been made to look on the sleazy side of foolish in talking to people they thought might be lobbyists offering them jobs, and another Tory has been stoking up a "political correctness" row with a local race equality group over some crass remarks he made about burkas.
And so the gallimaufry rolls on to polling day....
Mar 23rd, 2010, 09:36 AM
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Says it all about Macclesfield (which is represented by Nick the Geek - ALWAYS called Sir Nicholas, Sir Nick, or dickhead BTW: NEVER Sir Winterton).
On our line MPs travel First (because currently they get free First tickets): the only other people so feckless are PR executives, Russian kleptocrats and public servants travelling on expenses.
MPs' spouses, Lords, the Archbishop, the Oscar and Nobel prizewinners - they all travel in pleb with everyone else. Partly to save money: mainly to avoid the oiks in First.
On our line MPs travel First (because currently they get free First tickets): the only other people so feckless are PR executives, Russian kleptocrats and public servants travelling on expenses.
MPs' spouses, Lords, the Archbishop, the Oscar and Nobel prizewinners - they all travel in pleb with everyone else. Partly to save money: mainly to avoid the oiks in First.
Mar 23rd, 2010, 09:45 AM
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"was the pregnancy timed for the election"
Makes them both look as tacky as the Blairs.
Cameron's currently showing an ability to extract defeat from the jaws of victory that's surpassing even Neil Kinnock. A bit more of this and Nick Clegg'll be offering him the junior role in a coalition.
Though with six weeks still to go, there's scope for an AWFUL lot of other self-knitted banana skins on all sides.
Makes them both look as tacky as the Blairs.
Cameron's currently showing an ability to extract defeat from the jaws of victory that's surpassing even Neil Kinnock. A bit more of this and Nick Clegg'll be offering him the junior role in a coalition.
Though with six weeks still to go, there's scope for an AWFUL lot of other self-knitted banana skins on all sides.
Mar 23rd, 2010, 10:51 AM
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>>I can go first class more cheaply than standard.<<
Yes, but would you want to sit with the Wintertons?
Incidentally, all this hooha may actually be about the failings of the company that runs the train service to his constituency. But if the trains are overcrowded, who brought you rail privatisation, eh?
Yes, but would you want to sit with the Wintertons?
Incidentally, all this hooha may actually be about the failings of the company that runs the train service to his constituency. But if the trains are overcrowded, who brought you rail privatisation, eh?
Mar 24th, 2010, 07:45 AM
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"What did he do for Queen to make him a Sir"
The monarch has no say in who's chosen for honours.
In theory, they're decided, subject to Prime Ministerial veto, by a Civil Service committee. For serving politicians, there's an informal ration system: a few Ks are given each year, at each party's nomination, to longstanding loyal hacks old enough and undertalented enough you can be certain they'll not achieve ministerial office. The committee's supposed to screen them for egregious scandal, but traditionally there's been an assumption that if the Tory party was recommending, there'd be lots of scandal, but not bad enough to frighten the servants.
They're officially given "for services to the xxx Party": normally as many Tory as Labour, though more of the Tory nominees tend to be old fart MPs (collectively known as the Knights of the Shires, since they practically always sit for a seat ending in ....shire). The Labour ration is more likely to go to ex-Lord Mayors of the big cities - not so much for their work in urban renewal, but for the kind of Tammany Hall skills any US urban Dem supporter will be thoroughly familar with.
The monarch has no say in who's chosen for honours.
In theory, they're decided, subject to Prime Ministerial veto, by a Civil Service committee. For serving politicians, there's an informal ration system: a few Ks are given each year, at each party's nomination, to longstanding loyal hacks old enough and undertalented enough you can be certain they'll not achieve ministerial office. The committee's supposed to screen them for egregious scandal, but traditionally there's been an assumption that if the Tory party was recommending, there'd be lots of scandal, but not bad enough to frighten the servants.
They're officially given "for services to the xxx Party": normally as many Tory as Labour, though more of the Tory nominees tend to be old fart MPs (collectively known as the Knights of the Shires, since they practically always sit for a seat ending in ....shire). The Labour ration is more likely to go to ex-Lord Mayors of the big cities - not so much for their work in urban renewal, but for the kind of Tammany Hall skills any US urban Dem supporter will be thoroughly familar with.
Mar 24th, 2010, 07:46 AM
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Can't be bothered to look up the citation, but I think he was an effective chairman of one or more Select Committees, which can be a thankless task. His opinions on various issues may tend to the rebarbative, but that doesn't mean he's just an opinionated windbag.
Never forget, NOBODY is just the impression that you get from the newspapers, not even the people I'd loathe anyway.
Never forget, NOBODY is just the impression that you get from the newspapers, not even the people I'd loathe anyway.
Mar 24th, 2010, 08:04 AM
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Well this English major loves to learn new words rebarbative is today's
Word of the Day
1.Serving or tending to irritate or repel.
Rebarbative comes from French rébarbatif, "stern, surly, grim, forbidding," from Middle French rebarber, "to be repellent," from re- (from the Latin) + barbe, "beard" (from Latin barba
Word of the Day
1.Serving or tending to irritate or repel.
Rebarbative comes from French rébarbatif, "stern, surly, grim, forbidding," from Middle French rebarber, "to be repellent," from re- (from the Latin) + barbe, "beard" (from Latin barba
Mar 25th, 2010, 02:43 AM
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The monarch has no say in who's chosen for honours.>>>>
Not entirely true. There are a few in her personal gift.
But it is true in 99% of cases.
CW - Holding out for the Royal Victorian Order. More likely to win the Dickin Medal. Never even got any cub scout badges.
Not entirely true. There are a few in her personal gift.
But it is true in 99% of cases.
CW - Holding out for the Royal Victorian Order. More likely to win the Dickin Medal. Never even got any cub scout badges.
Mar 25th, 2010, 05:37 AM
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PS
For any grownups still reading and not aware of what we are talking about:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...ghanistan.html
Of course.
For any grownups still reading and not aware of what we are talking about:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...ghanistan.html
Of course.
