I would assume that the £160.00 Upgrade covered his whole entourage, Secretary, Protection Officer, etc.

I have no idea how many were travelling with him, but it is unlikely that he booked the Tickets, although they would have been paid for with his Card, so he would have been expected too do the business and pick up the Tab for the upgrades.

Considering that many Politicians have, in the past, had a convoy of Chauffeur Driven Cars awaiting their every whim, I think that he should be commended for travelling this way.

The explanation which I heard on Radio 4 was that he had bought a standard ticket but that there was no room in Standard Class so he moved to First Class. As his aide sought out the guard (or whatever he's called nowadays) to explain the situation I fail to see what all the fuss is about. Seems like a bit of opportunistic politicking.

spider9

Nice idea with one flaw - if he bought a first class ticket, but claimed for a second class ticket where would he get the correct VAT receipt for the expenses claim?

"Man on train buys ticket"

If this was your story I'm afraid that you wouldn't last 2 minutes as a reporter. To sell newspapers you need to have a punchline with an element of sensationalism in it.

I would have suggested to you that perhaps "Toff top politician refuses to sit among the plebs in crowded train" might do better but again perhaps it is too long. So maybe "Me, sit with the plebs!! never".

I bet you my newspaper would sell more than yours ;-)

"the media focussing on this sort of trivial rubbish and ignoring the issues that ought to matter in the modern world."

And that, of course, is the problem.

Image is now everything, and not just in politics.

Ministers, even Prime Ministers) don't go because of incompetence, or indiscretions, but because newspapers decide they should go.