Support NeoGAF

[Juicy Bob]

Oh Jeremy.

This has impacted negatively on my opinion of you.

 

[Kuros]

Not a cult

Absolutely not.

 

[Pie and Beans]

Not being competent enough to book seats for a Virgin train online before hand and trying to turn it into some big "poor Jeremy!" shebang is the perfect snapshot of Corbyn's Labour.

Truly clueless cunts.

 

[Jackpot]

Let's not forget the very real issue of Corbyn sinking his own party's attack on rising rail fares by launching a shadow cabinet reshuffle the same day.

Rail fares go up once a year on 2 January.

It's the perfect opportunity to show that this Tory Government aren't on the side of working people.

Commuters who've seen their season tickets go up by more than 26% since 2010. Some of whom are paying more for their rail fares than their mortgage. Four, five even six thousand pounds a year.

People who live in Essex and on the Kent coast, in suburbs and small towns, in marginal seats. Many of them are not Labour voters, but they are the people we need to win over.

It is a huge date in the political calendar every year.

We had the opportunity not just to criticise the Government, but to show we had a real Labour alternative. Our flagship policy. One that unites our party.

My staff spent weeks preparing briefing materials for MPs and constituency parties across the country. Trawling through mountains of rail fare information to provide examples of the season tickets that had risen the most and that cost the most. Examples for every MP and CLP.

And over the Christmas period we were listening in to Network Rail conference calls, monitoring the engineering works. Several calls every day including Christmas Day and Boxing Day, even New Years Eve.

On 4 January – a cold dark Monday morning – I was at Kings Cross at 7am doing Radio 5 and BBC TV.

Standing with Jeremy and the Rail Union General Secretaries for the media photocall. It was a crucial day in the Party’s media grid.

And all across the country local party activists were outside railway stations in the cold and the dark, leafleting commuters with the materials we’d prepared. Armed with the briefings and statistics.

Incredibly, Jeremy launched a Shadow Cabinet reshuffle on the same day.

This was the reshuffle that had been talked about since the Syria vote a month earlier. A vote where I supported Jeremy’s position.

The reshuffle that meant all our staff spent Christmas not knowing whether they'd have a job by the New Year.

By mid-afternoon the press were camped outside the Leader's office. They were there for the next 3 days.

It knocked all the coverage of the rail fare rise and our public ownership policy off every news channel and every front page.

http://www.liliangreenwood.co.uk/lilian_s_speech_to_nottingham_south_labour_party_members

 

[jelly]

What happens if you sit in a reserved seat, don't people get pissed off when the person who reserved jumps on and asks for the seat. What if they are twat and don't get up?

 

[Hasney]

What happens if you sit in a reserved seat, don't people get pissed off when the person who reserved jumps on and asks for the seat. What if they are twat and don't get up?

Eh, we're quite British about it. The one time someone didn't move, I got upgraded to 1st class.

 

[War Peaceman]

Let's not forget the very real issue of Corbyn sinking his own party's attack on rising rail fares by launching a shadow cabinet reshuffle the same day.



http://www.liliangreenwood.co.uk/lilian_s_speech_to_nottingham_south_labour_party_members

Yup, my MP was very dedicated to this and he fucked it up.

Corbyn and his guys are a bunch of fuckwits. They can't do politics. They always say they don't play the usual game but they really wanted to play to the media here and fucked it up completely. Morons.

 

[RedShift]

Virgin Trains to have more seats than Labour by 2020

 

[Orbis]

I've only ever seen teenagers sitting on the floor occasionally, is that a common thing people do? Normally either too crowded with standing people to sit on the floor or empty enough to get a seat.

There is a point between 'full' and 'terribly overcrowded' where sitting on the floor is viable and a somewhat popular choice. I travel on the Euston-Northampton/Birmingham route (London Midland operated) daily and I often end up sitting on the floor.

I am amused at the thought of Richard Branson being so incensed about a claim against one of his trains he jumped on the phone to get CCTV published.

 

[Pie and Beans]

I am amused at the thought of Richard Branson being so incensed about a claim against one of his trains he jumped on the phone to get CCTV published.

Which is yet ANOTHER example of just how fucking unelectable Corbyn is. You can't keep kicking sand in the eyes of big business like a hippy when your supposed ultimate goal of running the country includes compromising and dealing with industry leaders.

 

[Royal_Phalanx]

Corbyn can't fucking compromise can he. And his cultists will support him for it.

 

[Pie and Beans]

Corbyn can't fucking compromise can he. And his cultists will support him for it.

Corbyn can't compromise to the extent that he'll sit on the floor at the end of a carriage because he cant get two seats without booking ahead of time and try and make a big crybaby publicity stunt out of it. Can you imagine that person even running a village fair?

This one event just sums everything up so perfectly its amazing and infinitely depressing at the same time.

 

[War Peaceman]

I guess we can't really call them Virgin trains anymore, given how they've fucked Corbyn.

 

[RedSparrows]

As a Labour voter my whole (shortish) voting life, and as a confused liberal-social-democrat bundle of contradictions, I am so fucked off and depressed by the Labour fiasco. All political forums I frequent are currently burning from the fires set by Corbyn zealots and some deranged opponents. Everyone I speak to is as far from voting Labour as I am from banging Eva Green. It's intensely boring and saddening.

Hold me, comrades

 

[funkystudent]

Absolutely not.

In his defence, when was the last time a train timetable in the UK was right?

 

[RedSparrows]

In his defence, when was the last time a train timetable in the UK was right?

Pretty often?*

*ignoring Southern Rail.

 

[Graphics Horse]

There is a point between 'full' and 'terribly overcrowded' where sitting on the floor is viable and a somewhat popular choice. I travel on the Euston-Northampton/Birmingham route (London Midland operated) daily and I often end up sitting on the floor.

Yeah to be honest I've been spoiled by short distance trains (with free WiFi!) Where standing for 30mins is as bad as it gets, can understand for longer durations.

 

[Agent Gibbs]

I guess we can't really call them Virgin trains anymore, given how they've fucked Corbyn.

 

[And_Gignac]

What an insignificant thing to rail against Corbyn. Really shows how liberals have nothing else (meaningful) against him.

 

[Maledict]

What an insignificant thing to rail against Corbyn. Really shows how liberals have nothing else (meaningful) against him.

He lied. The man who is supposed to represent a new way of politics, 'no spin' Jeremy Corbyn, was caught out in a badly organised pathetic press stunt. Of course it's not going to kill his campaign, but these things show character. Or rather, lack of it.

 

[QuicheFontaine]

This is better than pastygate, and I never thought I'd be saying that.

 

[JonathanEx]

I think it's also important to remember that this isn't 'media focus on him!' as pulling apart fake bits of stunts is one of our most fun bits of politics. Like, the 'Conservatives use german road in poster' thing. Asking the people in campaign videos who they really vote for.

But yeah mainly the 'anti-spin' stuff, new politics, kinder, it's very interesting from that point of view.

 

[Dougald]

Jesus, thank god I live in an **incredibly** safe constituency, otherwise I'd have to work out if I'd rather elect a Sith Lord or this increasingly incompetent buffoon.

I can just carry on spoiling my ballot in peace

 

[Par Score]

More people come forward confirming Corbyn's version of events.

This version of events was broadly confirmed by comedian Simon Lukacs, who was also travelling to Edinburgh festival on the “very rammed” train and found himself squeezed into the train with the Labour leader.
He told BuzzFeed News that Corbyn was given a seat after train staff upgraded another family to first class in order to make room for the Labour leader.
“Apparently Virgin moved some people to first class to make way for him,” said Lukacs. “From what I heard, the cameraman guy came up and said ‘they’ve upgraded some people to first class so we can have a seat’.”
Despite that, Lukacs insists it was almost impossible to find a seat on the service: “I was standing and couldn’t find a seat. There was also a large number of people standing in the middle of the train. The train was pretty much chokka. The one that I found was the first seat in about four carriages.”
“I stood for most of the journey – I finally got a seat around Newcastle. For most of the journey I was standing.

And some other people forced to sit on the floor on the same train.

I'm not sure why people are so incredulous that a train might be so full that not everybody can get a seat, or that some people might be forced to stand or sit in a gangway for a decent portion of the journey. I guess not everyone has had the pleasure of commuting by rail in this country.

 

[Piecake]

More people come forward confirming Corbyn's version of events.



And some other people forced to sit on the floor on the same train.

I'm not sure why people are so incredulous that a train might be so full that not everybody can get a seat, or that some people might be forced to stand or sit in a gangway for a decent portion of the journey. I guess not everyone has had the pleasure of commuting by rail in this country.

The train might have been really packed eventually and that is where you are getting those testimonials, but it wasn't packed at the moment shown in the picture.

How do you explain this?

 

[JonathanEx]

Well I hope that nobody doubts that UK trains are busy, I've certainly had to stand for way too fucking long on trains with too few carriages - but when CCTV appears to show there were seats that he didn't go with, it's a bit odd.

If it was done on an actually "ram-packed" train, it would have been a decent little stunt. I thought it was alright when first seeing it, partially as it wasn't a stump speech for once. But uh, way to undo that.

 

[Maledict]

I travel n the west and east coast lines quite a bit. The east coast line is not great, but it's rarely as packed as the west coast line. I've never not been able to get a seat on it.

 

[TheCrackInTime]

There's a rumour that he attended a party meeting of Labour's Liverpool Riverside local party recently and that he's attempting to get himself as the PPC for it when Rotherham wins the Metro Mayor position.

Labour is toast!

Do you have a link/source for that? Considering that Steve Rotherham isn't the MP for Liverpool Riverside, I'm having a hard time understanding why they'd need a new MP once Steve wins the mayoral election.

 

[f0rk]

Momentum should let everyone know when the timing of a bad Corbyn story isn't "convenient", they tack that on to the end of every compliant.

 

[Goodlife]

I should be shocked that this is the main headline on the BBC news website

 

[War Peaceman]

Well I hope that nobody doubts that UK trains are busy, I've certainly had to stand for way too fucking long on trains with too few carriages - but when CCTV appears to show there were seats that he didn't go with, it's a bit odd.

If it was done on an actually "ram-packed" train, it would have been a decent little stunt. I thought it was alright when first seeing it, partially as it wasn't a stump speech for once. But uh, way to undo that.

That is what makes it so bad. There is a valid point that is completely undermined by the farce.

It is exactly the same as how Corbyn's teams incompetence actually hurts the left wing ideals they are propagating.

 

[Lagamorph]

The train might have been really packed eventually and that is where you are getting those testimonials, but it wasn't packed at the moment shown in the picture.

How do you explain this?

I don't think it would've been packed eventually as that picture was taken after the train departed I believe, and it didn't stop at another station for nearly 2 hours after leaving Kings Cross. The next scheduled stop was York, over 200 miles away.

 

[kmag]

The East Coast mainline runs hourly services both ways, capacity of the trains are limited essentially by the platform size. And the line itself runs basically at full capacity during peak hours due to all the bottlenecks on the line.

It's not an issue of privatisation in this case, because most of the issues are to do with network rail and not the operators. All Virgin could do is reduce the first class provision and drop the catering carriage, they've already reduced the number of tables in standard to increase the available seats. The trains themselves are as long as the stations on the line allow (you can mitigate that a bit by using the PA and booking system to direct passengers to carriages which will stop at the platforms of the smaller stations but that comes at a cost of longer stops. Generally to avoid that you operate by limiting the train size to the size of the smallest station.

 

[paradox121]

As a Labour voter my whole (shortish) voting life, and as a confused liberal-social-democrat bundle of contradictions, I am so fucked off and depressed by the Labour fiasco. All political forums I frequent are currently burning from the fires set by Corbyn zealots and some deranged opponents. Everyone I speak to is as far from voting Labour as I am from banging Eva Green. It's intensely boring and saddening.

Hold me, comrades

Feel the same man.

And you summed it up nicely: this whole situation is just boring. Corbyn as a character, as a leader, as someone who makes headlines by sitting on the floor of trains is endlessly boring. Even Miliband was at least endearing in a Wallace and Gromit type way. Corbyn's just sucked all interest I have in UK politics out the window. To be fair, Theresa May is equally as blandly inoffensive so maybe that's part of the problem.

I'm just letting the US election tide me over until November. At least Trump is an interesting political shambles.

 

[CyclopsRock]

More people come forward confirming Corbyn's version of events.



And some other people forced to sit on the floor on the same train.

I'm not sure why people are so incredulous that a train might be so full that not everybody can get a seat, or that some people might be forced to stand or sit in a gangway for a decent portion of the journey. I guess not everyone has had the pleasure of commuting by rail in this country.

I don't think anyone is incredulous at the idea a train might be full. Everyone quite liked his little stunt when he originally did it, and no one was casting any doubt over its veracity until Virgin released their information yesterday
And I don't blame them - you have a guy who wants to nationalise the railways basically lying about how bad his train journey was.

 

[f0rk]

If Putin left a bag on the only seat left at the UN, would Corbyn ask him to move it or would he sit on the floor?

 

[travisbickle]

Well that's basically what money's for, ain't it? If it doesn't get you nicer things, what's the point? Endangering safety? Piss off.

It's a first-class train ticket.

The cost allows you and QuicheFontaine to fulfil your petit-beourgois fantasies of exclusivity from the plebs.

But it is no way near enough money to actually restrict the plebs access when their comfort is being put upon by an overcrowded train.

You have to spend a lot more money if you want to add to the discomfort of ordinary people, something the real bourgeois understand.

 

[Kurtofan]

im floored

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

I don't think anyone is incredulous at the idea a train might be full. Everyone quite liked his little stunt when he originally did it, and no one was casting any doubt over its veracity until Virgin released their information yesterday
And I don't blame them - you have a guy who wants to nationalise the railways basically lying about how bad his train journey was.

And the ironic thing is everyone already agreed with him.

Nationalisation of rail is popular even among conservatives.

 

[DiGiKerot]

Glad to see everyone is happy with the East Coast line and Virgin sorted it out, it's been notorious since I was young for being overcrowded and shitty.

There have been some positives from the Virgin takeover, but I don't think I've managed to catch a Newcastle to Kings Cross (or opposite) train since they started running it that hasn't been delayed, cancelled partway, or otherwise inconvenienced.

I'm probably just unlucky, though.

That said, that a one-way standard class ticket into London in October is costing me more than returns to Glasgow and Edinburgh combined is kind of ludicrous.

 

[JonathanEx]

It's a first-class train ticket.

The cost allows you and QuicheFontaine to fulfil your petit-beourgois fantasies of exclusivity from the plebs.

But it is no way near enough money to actually restrict the plebs access when their comfort is being put upon by an overcrowded train.

You have to spend a lot more money if you want to add to the discomfort of ordinary people, something the real bourgeois understand.

Top Gear had it right, we need a full on pleb class.

 

[nekkid]

There is a point between 'full' and 'terribly overcrowded' where sitting on the floor is viable and a somewhat popular choice. I travel on the Euston-Northampton/Birmingham route (London Midland operated) daily and I often end up sitting on the floor.

I am amused at the thought of Richard Branson being so incensed about a claim against one of his trains he jumped on the phone to get CCTV published.

I travel on that route infrequently when I need to get into London. I've got to say that it's been busy during rush hours, but I've been surprised at how there has generally been enough space apart from one or two who need to stand.

 

[QuicheFontaine]

Top Gear had it right, we need a full on pleb class.

I've been on the train in India a few times. Now they really do have a cattle class!

One of the issues with the selfie evidence that the train was too full is that Corbo was always sat in the same place but the person sitting beside him kept changing. Suggesting you know - people were moving around.

Suspect the train was too full for his team, the reason he sat down was he was wanting to work.

Wasn't he just reading Private Eye?

 

[Kathian]

One of the issues with the selfie evidence that the train was too full is that Corbo was always sat in the same place but the person sitting beside him kept changing. Suggesting you know - people were moving around.

Suspect the train was too full for his team, the reason he sat down was he was wanting to work.

 

[Kathian]

Hes more or less admited it now;

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-37173048

He told reporters he was there to talk about his NHS policies, but he eventually relented, saying: "I am very pleased that Richard Branson has been able to break off from his holiday to take this issue seriously and with the importance it obviously deserves.

"I hope he is very well aware of our policy, which is that train operating companies should become part of the public realm, not the private sector."

At his press conference, Mr Corbyn said: "Yes, I did walk through the train. Yes, I did look for two empty seats together so I could sit down with my wife, to talk to her. That wasn't possible so I went to the end of the train."

He said the train manager, "who was a very nice gentleman", had offered him an upgrade to First Class, which he had declined.

"He then, very kindly, did find some seats and, after 42 minutes, I went back through the train to the seats that had been allocated."

Mr Corbyn's leadership campaign manager Sam Tarry earlier told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he believed Sir Richard had intervened in order to protect his company.

He said: "The bigger story here... it is quite astonishing that a tax exile of more than 10 years decides to lay into and make a political intervention which is essentially what this is on social media in a very public way."

What absolute tits. Its clear I think that one of his team saw him on the ground and saw an opportunity. Trains are crowded, train companies do make money off tax payer subsidies. The two don't actually link into one another. Not only that, but his point has been torn down

A good transport system is not if you can get 2 seats together.

Also if its that important, instead or making your wife stand (or sit?) fucking ask someone "Excuse me would you mind taking that seat there so me and my wife can sit together".

Clear a good worker (and an observant one) saw Corbo on the floor and moved to correct the situation. He did so. Corbo criticised the conductor and the company for doing their best on that train.

They just shouldn't have shot that video but Corbo is too dim to realise what is or is not a good idea.

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

I'm sure corbyn supporters will find some new way to justify this

 

[QuicheFontaine]

Also if its that important, instead or making your wife stand (or sit?) fucking ask someone "Excuse me would you mind taking that seat there so me and my wife can sit together".

Yep. I always offer to move if I'm travelling by myself and see a couple with seats that straddle the aisle. It's polite, and I'm sure it stores up good karma as I've had the same happen to me when I'm travelling with my wife.

Back on-topic, it's going to be incredible when this guys wins the leadership contest again.

 

[Jezbollah]

Wait. Corbyn had a pop at Branson for taking time off from his holiday to address an issue?

is this the same guy who took a holiday during EU Referendum campaigning?

 

[tomtom94]

Wait. Corbyn had a pop at Branson for taking time off from his holiday to address an issue?

is this the same guy who took a holiday during EU Referendum campaigning?

I am inclined to be charitable to Corbyn (even if I'd vote Smith if they'd let me) but that doesn't look like a pop, just a statement of fact.

 

[Coriolanus]

SAYING THIS, I quite like travelling by train, and hate busses. I don't know why. I strongly dislike them and avoid using wherever possible.

Aint a soul alive that actually enjoys taking busses.