Strike hijacks ‘tap and go’

The launch of a “tap and go” ticket scheme by rail chiefs wasn’t completely derailed this week, but its timing was not exactly auspicious. The PR plan went off track and saw the railways minister Paul Maynard having to fend off some aggressive media questions about what the government was doing to resolve the ongoing dispute with Southern railways.

The minister took it in his stride and gamely submitted himself to a round of hostile media interviews, but you could sense the frustration of the various political spin doctors and press officers that the reason for the event was getting overlooked.

It certainly pushed to the limits the adage that there is no such thing as bad publicity.

Still on Southern, the transport secretary Chris Grayling also found himself in a political pincer movement in the House of Commons this week.

An unusual alliance of Kent Conservative MPS, the Green Party and Labour subjected Mr Grayling to a fairly relentless series of questions about what the government was doing to resolve the ongoing dispute.

Among those MPS expressing concern was the North Thanet MP Sir Roger Gale, whose constituency isn’t anywhere near Southern area.

Follow Paul on Twitter @ Paulonpolitics for all Kent’s political news and gossip.