Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander left Good Morning Britain seething.
Richard Madeley lowered his head onto the desk as his interview with Heidi Alexander began (Image: ITV)
Richard Madeley flopped his head on his desk just seconds into his interview with Heidi Alexander on Good Morning Britain. Presenters Madeley and Susanna Reid questioned the Transport Secretary on how Great British Railways will be different from British Rail as the government plans to nationalise the train network.
Madeley said: “We seem to be going back to a concept that many of us above a certain age have decidedly mixed memories of – British Rail – because rail passengers are getting their first look at what trains operated by the new, nationalised operator which this time is called Great British Railways is going to look like from next Spring.” Welcoming Alexander onto the programme, Reid declared: “Say British Rail to people like Richard and you get a noticable…”
Her co-star then lowered his head onto the table as Reid continued: “Head on the desk moment. How is it going to be different this time?”
Alexander insisted things would be different, saying: “I can assure Richard that he can get his head off the desk and we’re not going back to the days of soggy BR sandwiches.
“What we’re going to create is a modern, agile, innovative railway that is fit for the 21st century. We’re bringing together 17 organisations into Great British Railways which is going to be a publicly owned organisation.
“We’re not only unveiling the new branding, but we’re also giving people a sneak preview of a new app that Great British Railways will have which will bring together information about fares, ticketing and timetables all into one place.”
Heidi Alexander assured Great British Railways will be different from British Rail (Image: ITV)
But fans weren’t convinced as they flocked to social media to hit out at the politician.
One said: “If the government believe branding a new app and ‘one person in each region being 100% responsible for everything’ is going to bring back the golden age, they’re even more deluded than we all think they are!!”
Another wrote: “If you don’t have someone with railway experience you may as well not bother.”
A third agreed: “Is nothing going to be different just the broken promises like everything else.”
A fourth echoed: “I’m curious where all the money is coming from when the government, in my opinion, have broken there promises to taxpayers. Nobody has any more money to give them to save the trains.”
