How do members of The Cabinet travel on the train?

[thenorthern]

Question is what then happens at the other end? Does a Jaguar XF Prime Ministerial Car meet him to take him to where he is going?

 

[ANorthernGuard]

The real question should be how do cabinet members sleep at night!

 

[DarloRich]

I generally think you're a decent poster on here, but this reads very bitterly.

Would you travel in STD if doing so risked your personal safety?

I'm a pleb who earns 1/3 of an MP's salary. My company will pay for me to travel in 1st where I can justify it and I'm not at risk of assault or worse for speaking my mind in my role.

most people would struggle to recgnise a cabinet mnster so they should be safe! They get paid £60k+ so if they want first class travel they should pay for it.

I will let them have a warrent for second class travel on tax payers money, they can top the rest up from thier own pocket if they are too terrified to travel with the great unwashed. God forbid they might meet voters and have to justify themselves to the electorate! As for speaking thier mind most are so bland and robotic they dont have a mind!
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Question is what then happens at the other end? Does a Jaguar XF Prime Ministerial Car meet him to take him to where he is going?

Yes, often it does

 

[Temple Meads]

Question is what then happens at the other end? Does a Jaguar XF Prime Ministerial Car meet him to take him to where he is going?

To be a pedant I believe the ministerial Jaguars are XJ's not XF's

 

[Parallel]

Does her majesty use public passengers services more than the royal train?

I remember from The Railway: First Great Western series that she was filmed arriving to somewhere in Cornwall on a 150.

Lucky she didn't need to travel on one of the branch lines around Exeter. She may have ended up on a pacer.

 

[WatcherZero]

Question is what then happens at the other end? Does a Jaguar XF Prime Ministerial Car meet him to take him to where he is going?

On official business yes, on campaigning usually picked up by a battle bus for the final leg. SNP Sturgeon has been going everywhere in a SNP branded helicopter.

 

[Hadders]

most people would struggle to recgnise a cabinet mnster so they should be safe! They get paid £60k+ so if they want first class travel they should pay for it.

I will let them have a warrent for second class travel on tax payers money, they can top the rest up from thier own pocket if they are too terrified to travel with the great unwashed. God forbid they might meet voters and have to justify themselves to the electorate! As for speaking thier mind most are so bland and robotic they dont have a mind!
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Yes, often it does

I disagree with this. I believe Cabinet Ministers should travel 1st class. After all they are the people that we have elected to run the country. If we don't like the job they do then the solution's simple - vote them out at the next election and let someone else have a go.

While £60k is a decent salary it really isn't that much compared to what someone in a PLC would get. Same with the expenses really.

If my employer wants me to work between two different locations (like a constituency and Westminster) then I would expect my employer to pay for the travelling expenses. If the journey between the two was not reasonably commutable then I'd expect to be put up in accommodation when away from home. Now, say this arrangement was to continue for 5 years then I'd expect arrangements to be made so I wasn't continually away from my family.

I have no doubt that some MP's have abused expenses available to them but the realistic picture is never properly explained either.

 

[matt_world2004]

London Mayors get staff passes for use on LU.

 

[Aldaniti]

I disagree with this. I believe Cabinet Ministers should travel 1st class. After all they are the people that we have elected to run the country. If we don't like the job they do then the solution's simple - vote them out at the next election and let someone else have a go.

While £60k is a decent salary it really isn't that much compared to what someone in a PLC would get. Same with the expenses really.

If my employer wants me to work between two different locations (like a constituency and Westminster) then I would expect my employer to pay for the travelling expenses. If the journey between the two was not reasonably commutable then I'd expect to be put up in accommodation when away from home. Now, say this arrangement was to continue for 5 years then I'd expect arrangements to be made so I wasn't continually away from my family.

I have no doubt that some MP's have abused expenses available to them but the realistic picture is never properly explained either.

An MP's basic is £67,060 plus numerous other generous allowances, subsidies, expenses and pension benefits. No formal qualifications are required, there is never a shortage of takers from a variety of backgrounds, and for many it brings benefits not generally open to others appertaining to future career opportunities and social status. There's no role comparison to be made between 'what someone in a PLC would get' and thus there's no comparison to made made on salary. Those who go on to become cabinet ministers receive a salary of £135,000.

Becoming an MP is about public service which some people seem are becoming increasingly forgetful of.

 

[DarloRich]

I disagree with this. I believe Cabinet Ministers should travel 1st class. After all they are the people that we have elected to run the country. If we don't like the job they do then the solution's simple - vote them out at the next election and let someone else have a go.

While £60k is a decent salary it really isn't that much compared to what someone in a PLC would get. Same with the expenses really.

If my employer wants me to work between two different locations (like a constituency and Westminster) then I would expect my employer to pay for the travelling expenses. If the journey between the two was not reasonably commutable then I'd expect to be put up in accommodation when away from home. Now, say this arrangement was to continue for 5 years then I'd expect arrangements to be made so I wasn't continually away from my family.

I have no doubt that some MP's have abused expenses available to them but the realistic picture is never properly explained either.

I am more than happy to pay reasonable expenses incurred in meeting thier duties. Second class rail travel seems a reasonable expense. Food and lodging seems like a reasonable expense. First class rail travel and moat cleaning dont seem like reasonable expenses. After all, times are hard and we are all in it together..........

 

[Iskra]

An MP's basic is £67,060 plus numerous other generous allowances, subsidies, expenses and pension benefits. No formal qualifications are required, there is never a shortage of takers from a variety of backgrounds, and for many it brings benefits not generally open to others appertaining to future career opportunities and social status. There's no role comparison to be made between 'what someone in a PLC would get' and thus there's no comparison to made made on salary. Those who go on to become cabinet ministers receive a salary of £135,000.

Becoming an MP is about public service which some people seem are becoming increasingly forgetful of.

The whole point of the decent salary is to allow anyone to afford to be an MP. This is preferable and allows better representation compared to when you had to be rich to be able to do the job.

 

[Tetchytyke]

I have no problems with Ministers travelling first class. They get plenty of work done, work that couldn't be done with them sitting in standard class.

A mate of mine used to be a private secretary for a big Ministerial name, and the amount of work they got through made the first class fares worth it.

 

[infobleep]

It is entirely possible if the MP/PM have arranged for media interviews on the train they may be upgraded at the cost of the TOC.

An election piece for the BBC North West News last week made the point of saying they paid to travel the WCML in standard class but were upgraded to first class at the insistence of the TOC.

It is probably more to do with image, I cant imagine Northern would want a media interview to take place on one of Newton Heath's finest.

Why not leave them in standard class and upgrade the people in standard class if they don't want them to be disturbed. That's assuming the reason for moving them is to not disturb the other passengers.

I wonder if journalists and politicians ask for standard class knowing they will most likely be upgraded for free. It's a good way to save money and travel first class!
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I know of one senior cabinet minister who travels to and from work most days on class 455 units.

Do they live along the Cobham line? That's got lots of expensive to buy houses but is mostly served by 455s and no first class exists, even if the train has such compartments.
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I have seen Cameron in the 1st on a Pendolino from Brum - he had a couple of staff with him and some Protection Officers. The PA announcements were excellent and restrained - no annoying "Thecurity" announcement to begin with. The staff lined up at the front end at Euston but "Cams" basically ignored them - no eye contact even , let alone a "thank you" - not impressed.

In my time I have given Prescott a cab ride on a 313 from Euston to Willesden Jct - and a very senior member of the Royal Family enjoyed a 321 cab ride from Tring to Leighton Buzzard. Both ocassions properly done. (with appropriate supervision)

Although I always thank any staff on board, even to the extent of those checking my tickets, I don't ever see them line up for me at the front of the train.

In other words I'm sure David thanked them during the journey so isn't that enough? Unless they did something extra special that warranted an extra thank you. In such cases I'd say it was better to tweet or contact the customer services so that people higher up knew as well.

 

[AnonymousUser1]

His other trick is to travel First Class but move to Standard to do interviews. Most of the electorate won't have a clue. If he can practice the dark art of political deception when the cameras are around, I wonder how deceptive is he when they aren't? He's not the only one I'm sure, but coming from someone who has previously said that he wants to restore trust in politicians, I do find him particularly two-faced.

after the Butler's pantry debacle i think most people are perfectly aware of his act ...

 

[Busaholic]

Michael Foot, as Leader of the Labour Party continued to travel on the 24 bus from Westminster to his home in Hampstead.
Opposite Joe Grimond, Leader of the Liberal Party, once on a District Line - he'd sprawled in such a way as to occupy two seats!
Lord Gardner, Lord Chancellor in 1974 Labour cabinet, used to travel on Circle Line Westminster to Liverpool Street.
David Cameron has probably bought a season ticket to Penzance which will require cashing in after Wednesday at which time he coincidentally will find no further reason to visit the constituency. My dog definitely does not take kindly to being sniffed by his people's dog any more than I do - managed to avoid them on the second occasion. I sincerely hope his visits have been a complete waste of his time.

 

[6Gman]

Vince Cable? I know he's Member for Twickenham (I think).

My cousin commutes in to Waterloo and regularly sees Vince as a fellow passenger.

 

[AnonymousUser1]

Surprised the Queen drives herself - still hope she is upto the same medical standards as the rest of us need to be for driving.

i'm sure if she wasn't actions would have been taken ditto for the DoE

 

[Clarence Yard]

Back when I first started on BR a regular sight for me was the then cabinet members getting on or off the Pullmans at the Cross. Denis Healey used to usually travel alone but Merlyn Rees, having been Northern Ireland Secretary, had a detective with him. All were driven to/from KX.

But when he was Labour Leader before WW2, my dad used to see Clem. Attlee regularly on the tube travelling to or from his home in Stanmore!

 

[philabos]

As an American, always enjoy reading this forum.
I thought of this topic today when it was reported Amtrak train 355 enroute from Detroit to Chicago for two,hours because VP Joe Biden's motorcade was in the vicinity. We do not know if the VP was going to actually cross the tracks at some point or if he was just near the tracks. He certainly was not on the train.
Wonder what the reaction would be if say, Nick Clegg, was motoring near the GEML and the railway was shut down for two hours?
I could go on about our politicians and transport but will spare you the pain.

 

[43106]

At the tail end of 1991, I had to go on a course in Bracknell (Hewlett Packard at Amen Corner) and caught the Friday night sleeper from Euston to Edinburgh. Whilst I was hanging around, I saw Charles Kennedy smoking his fag waiting on the Inverness sleeper (he was going back to his constituency at Dingwall?). As we were called to board the train, we were held up by Malcolm Rifkind, then the Minister of Defence, being escorted onto the same train as me by civilian-looking security people. Apparently, he did this every Friday night, returning to his constituency in South-West Edinburgh.

 

[jon0844]

My MP Grant Shapps uses the train and from his station that means a Class 313. So no chance of him going first class, whatever name he chooses to use!

 

[CockneySparrow]

When the Queens travelling for personal rather than public functions she usually drives herself in her Range Rover.

Not always, every Christmas its the train to Sandringham

 

[edwin_m]

When the Queens travelling for personal rather than public functions she usually drives herself in her Range Rover.

With Camilla navigating and Philip back-seat driving, she has my sympathy.

 

[QueensCurve]

GAll the images of David Cameron I have seen show him travelling in First Class which despite people who would argue its unfair for the public to have to pay for First Class travel I personally don't see an issue with it as he is the Prime Minister and there does need to be security in place.

In another of those hoped-to-be-forgotten things from when the present Gov't came to power, Cameron was indignant that MPs and Civil Servants should not travel First Class.

Setting aside the question of how civil servants would work on the train crammed in an airline style seat with no table, I recall that shortly after making his announcement forbidding First Class travel, Cameron was pictured in Steerage in a Pendolino at one of the few seats with a table. It was conspicuous that no other seat was occupied. My guess was he had reserved the whole coach.

 

[Retorus]

I got a terrilbe look as i stood not 3 feet from him and booed him! I felt good!

Really? How old are you?

 

[quarella]

When I worked in a booking office some years ago a local MP presented a warrant. Can't recall who it was and whether they were on the front bench. As it was for standard class I commented that I thought she was entitled to first class travel. She replied that she was but and used it if she had confidential papers to work on but as that trip was just to get back to London standard would be fine.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Being just returned from an 8-day holiday and not wishing to trawl back through six full pages of postings, how do similar senior parliamentary figures of other governments in the EC use railway travel and what special allowances do they receive when travelling by this mode of travel.

 

[asylumxl]

Being just returned from an 8-day holiday and not wishing to trawl back through six full pages of postings, how do similar senior parliamentary figures of other governments in the EC use railway travel and what special allowances do they receive when travelling by this mode of travel.

I don't think I've seen that. Though to be honest, I've not been keeping an eye on this thread. One thing that has become apparent is that security has become more a concern, supposedly justifying the use of FC and security.

 

[SamYeager]

Being just returned from an 8-day holiday and not wishing to trawl back through six full pages of postings, how do similar senior parliamentary figures of other governments in the EC use railway travel and what special allowances do they receive when travelling by this mode of travel.

I don't know the details for other government's parliamentary figures but all MEPs are entitled to first class travel on both planes and trains. :roll:

 

[ChiefPlanner]

[
But when he was Labour Leader before WW2, my dad used to see Clem. Attlee regularly on the tube travelling to or from his home in Stanmore![/QUOTE]

I think Clem used to come in from Great Missendon on the Met Line - doing his paperwork and the Times crossword , pipe on the go. A good man.