Prime Minister on Night Riviera (28/05)

[rower40]

The press don’t usually publish anything that could compromise security arrangements so you rarely see vVIPs boarding or alighting from trains unless it is for a photo op. Regular travel arrangements are never publicised.

Agreed. The local TV coverage in the South-West last night showed the soon-to-be-ex-PM disembarking at Penzance, rather than embarking at Paddington; the latter would have given the would-be-assassins/protestors/miscreants/lobbyists (in no particular order) lots of time to plan their actions, knowing where the gentleman concerned would be for the next few hours.

 

[BrianW]

He doesn't drink

Indeed. TV news showed him with a pint 'jug' of South West Water's best- probably not from a Brixham or Kingswear tap. He appeared to have with him at the table the current Secretary-of-State for Work and Pensions, Mel Stride, who was manager for the current PM's leadership campaign, and MP for Central Devon for a few hours still.

 

[Darandio]

Agreed. The local TV coverage in the South-West last night showed the soon-to-be-ex-PM disembarking at Penzance, rather than embarking at Paddington; the latter would have given the would-be-assassins/protestors/miscreants/lobbyists (in no particular order) lots of time to plan their actions, knowing where the gentleman concerned would be for the next few hours.

Normally yes, except in this case some of the press travelling with him released videos of him boarding the train shortly afterwards.

 

[yorksrob]

I wonder how aware he is of the LNER fares trial, given that he travels on the route.

 

[jon0844]

I saw a photo of him alighting the train and being without his £750 backpack. I'm sure it was only a prop for the original video when he boarded but I wonder what happened to it.

I'd be somewhat upset at losing a bag worth that much, not least the loss of the of the contents. Plus won't he have to wait a few weeks and pay a retrieval fee from the lost property office?

 

[Dr Hoo]

I wonder how aware he is of the LNER fares trial, given that he travels on the route.

I expect that his constituency postbag reflects local concerns from his fellow travellers.

 

[dk1]

He doesn't drink

That explains a lot then

 

[peteb]

I believe someone did ask why the train and not the chopper and his response was something about sending photos to his kids... maybe he wants to be "down with the people" quite literally as well as he's not in the sky this time

Security.

A "chopper" is much more likely to crash as events elsewhere in the world recently have demonstrated.

 

[danbarjon]

Security.

A "chopper" is much more likely to crash as events elsewhere in the world recently have demonstrated.

I don't believe that for a second, but it's good to see him on the train. Maybe next time if they cancel it due to a short notice change to the timetable he can join the queue with everyone and understand how rubbish the trains are recently...

 

[jon0844]

I doubt the chance of a helicopter crash is really a consideration given how few crashes there are, or how much he uses one to get around normally.

This was a PR stunt because both boarding and alighting was so clearly staged.

Security, as in his own, is obviously a genuine concern and clearly he wasn't on the train alone, as he wanted people to think (i.e. he just blended in with the common people on a train, having turned up as any other passenger with his backpack for a trip).

 

[BrianW]

I doubt the chance of a helicopter crash is really a consideration given how few crashes there are, or how much he uses one to get around normally.

This was a PR stunt because both boarding and alighting was so clearly staged.

Security, as in his own, is obviously a genuine concern and clearly he wasn't on the train alone, as he wanted people to think (i.e. he just blended in with the common people on a train, having turned up as any other passenger with his backpack for a trip).

Do you see the best 'next PM' Mr Portaloo getting on or off with his ' belongings' (He has no postbag to carry or leave behind).

I think I failed to see Mr Sunak's meeting with the former Defence Secretary and St Ives MP Sir John Nott- remember him? The man described by that Jeremy Paxman of his day, Sir Robin Day, as a 'here-today-gone-tomorrow' politician. Where's Rishi today? Out on high-viz manoeuvres or a school, hospital, dentist or workplace somewhere?

 

[DarloRich]

former Defence Secretary and St Ives MP Sir John Nott-

He must be an age! At least 90.

 

[greyman42]

Glad I wasn't on sleeper yesterday that's for sure.

Why is that?

Shame the driver didnt engage with him about the strikes.

I'm surprised they found anybody happy enough to appear on TV and greet them into the carriage at Paddington.

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.

Are any of these comments to be taken seriously?

 

[SteveM70]

Protesters sitting on the roof usually give it away

And the bloody big new fence

 

[co-tr-paul]

If you want to travel in the same coach, it's back on for Friday night"s down, coach H .( up oou tonight )
Don't know which berth as they were all made up as doubles but most slept on top bunk only.
Not at liberty to say who he actually travelled with.
No normal customers were moved or booking cancelled.
And certainly, the down has been almost fully booked for past 2 weeks.

 

[43066]

Is this a somewhat late, as he won't be PM for much longer, precedent for Sunak to actually lower himself to travelling by train ?

He’s used EMR services a couple of times I can think of in the last six months.

As for entourage, he travels with several special movements police officers.

He travels in part of a carriage where other customers are moved away.

He boards the train about 2-3 minutes before departure when 99% of customers have boarded.

Indeed. It’s a longstanding secure, quick and effective method of travel for many politicians.

I can’t help but wish Sunak had been on the Scottish sleeper last night .

 

[Mag_seven]

He’s used EMR services a couple of times I can think of in the last six months.

Yes I think I was on one he was on a few weeks back - I noticed a large entourage of people heading to the front of train at St Pancras plus lots of BTP on the platform. I got off at Derby but later on that day I saw that there had been a photo opportunity involving him in the Sheffield area.

 

[BrianW]

If you want to travel in the same coach, it's back on for Friday night"s down, coach H .( up oou tonight )
Don't know which berth as they were all made up as doubles but most slept on top bunk only.
Not at liberty to say who he actually travelled with.
No normal customers were moved or booking cancelled.
And certainly, the down has been almost fully booked for past 2 weeks.

I misread this as 'the clown ...'

He must be an age! At least 90.

John Nott- 92y.o according to Wikipedia

 

[43066]

Yes I think I was on one he was on a few weeks back - I noticed a large entourage of people heading to the front of train at St Pancras plus lots of BTP on the platform. I got off at Derby but later on that day I saw that there had been a photo opportunity involving him in the Sheffield area.

There was one occasion I recall that involved a photo of him on the train sitting in standard class with a TOC branded cup of coffee that he would only have been given had he been in first, so very obviously staged to present a “man of the people” image.

Then also a non public occasion where a couple of staff mentioned he was on a particular southbound train to St P (it’s only made known shortly in advance to selected people, for obvious reasons), and there was an entourage waiting downstairs (VIPs tend to be taken through the depot). That may have been the return leg of the northbound trip you witnessed. It’s a slick and well practiced operation.

 

[DarloRich]

He flew back according to the Mirror. Obviously.

 

[danbarjon]

He flew back according to the Mirror. Obviously.

Rishi Sunak caught using private helicopter after gushing about trains

Rishi Sunak told broadcasters: 'The train was great, I've been taking lots of pictures and videos' - but he skipped the 3-hour, £55 train home in favour of a £2,500 chopper

www.mirror.co.uk

Rishi Suank returned from a campaign trip to Devon and Cornwall by private helicopter - after gushing about how wonderful train travel is.

The Prime Minister travelled to Penzance by sleeper train on Wednesday for a day on the campaign trail. He told broadcasters: "The train was great, I've been taking lots of pictures and videos, sending them back to my kids and saying we'll be back here as a family at some point. I’m excited to be out and about in Cornwall and heading up to Devon later today.”

 

[BrianW]

Rishi Sunak caught using private helicopter after gushing about trains

Rishi Sunak told broadcasters: 'The train was great, I've been taking lots of pictures and videos' - but he skipped the 3-hour, £55 train home in favour of a £2,500 chopper

www.mirror.co.uk

Rishi's not paying- other than electorally, maybe

 

[danbarjon]

Rishi's not paying- other than electorally, maybe

Precisely.

 

[43066]

He flew back according to the Mirror. Obviously.

Disappointing from him (and from you, I’d have at least have expected a Guardian reference ).

Rishi's not paying- other than electorally, maybe

In fairness, whatever the mode of travel, if he was using his own personal funds to pay for anything to do with the election campaign that would be very worrying indeed…

 

[DarloRich]

Disappointing from him (and from you, I’d have at least have expected a Guardian reference

it was a social media link i saw and didn't feel inclined to become enraged by looking for more details

( in honesty during the election campaign i don't really mind about the helicopter use as we shouldn't be paying for it)

 

[irish_rail]

Why is that?

Haha seriously?

 

[43066]

( in honesty during the election campaign i don't really mind about the helicopter use as we shouldn't be paying for it)

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

 

[norbitonflyer]

I thought it was funny that it looked as though he was on the footplate of the depot shunter, probably one of the oldest locos on the railway and almost certainly older than him!

08648, built 1959, so 21 years older than the Prime Minister.

 

[uww11x]

I wonder if went in the traincrew mess room when he went round the depot. I bet the Union reps were queuing up for him!

 

[dk1]

I wonder if went in the traincrew mess room when he went round the depot. I bet the Union reps were queuing up for him!

He would clear our messroom in seconds if he did.

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