Tom Richmond: As North grinds to a halt, Macavity Grayling vanishes again

If you remember, Mr Grayling chose not to attend last November’s Commons exchanges, called by Hull North MP Diana Johnson, to discuss rail investment in the North as he tried to accelerate a second Crossrail line for London that would benefit his Surrey constituents.

When The Yorkshire Post accused him online of ‘snubbing’ the region with another insult, the Department for Transport quickly got in touch, shortly after proceedings started, to say it was no such thing as he’d not been due to in Parliament. This when Mr Grayling was taking more than 120 days to respond to correspondence from MPs.

Yet the Macavity-like minister struck again this week when he was the subject of a censure motion over his handling of the collapse of the East Coast rail franchise – and other failings – that prompted calls, subsequently defeated, for him to take a pay cut.

Though he did respond to Andy McDonald, the Shadow Transport Secretary, he slipped out of the Commons when backbench MPs started to air their grievances – with Dewsbury’s Paula Sherriff accusing him of representing this “out-of-touch Government at their (sic) self-serving worst”.

Where was ‘Macavity’? And then it became clear. As criticism was at its fiercest, the Department for Transport sneakily slipped out a press release at 3.10pm claiming that under-performance on Northern Rail services was now its “top priority” after thousands of trains were cancelled, or delayed, this week following timetable changes.

Promising to speak to Northern leaders in a tele-conference, Mr Grayling promised improved driving rostering; increased driver training, additional contingency drivers and extra services in the North-West.

This is all very laudable, but it does not explain why timetables were overhauled without anyone checking if there were sufficient drivers and track upgrades complete – or why he did not fully reveal his intentions in the Parliamentary exchanges so he could be cross-examined by those MPs inundated with complaints.

Never mind a statesman, even a junior minister with half a conscience would have done so and listened, respectfully. Thank you to Leeds West MP Rachel Reeves for raising this rudeness in a subsequent point of order. As she said, the disruption and changes are “of huge significance to many of our constituents”.

It’s just a shame Mr Grayling is so arrogant that he does not realise this. It’s the worst snub of all and even more reason why he should be shunted off to the political sidings without delay.

TWO other Ministers have been conspicuous by their silence on the rail controversies. From what I can gather, there’s not been a peep from Northern Powerhouse Minister Jake Berry.

And a penny for the thoughts of Julian Smith, the Government’s chief whip. As the Skipton and Ripon MP, he must be aware of the level of anger after having to order Tory MPs to back Chris Grayling in Wednesday’s vote.

What is he advising Theresa May? Do tell Julian – your constituents, for one, have a right to know.

MEANWHILE Macavity struck again on Thursday when MPs debated the abysmal service on Northern Rail – better known this week as Northern Fail. Chris Grayling was nowhere to be seen as the Government put up Jesse Norman to answer on the Department for Transport’s behalf.

In response to one MP, he said “it does not require a PhD in cryptology or the detective skills of a Sherlock Holmes to realise that I am the Roads Minister and therefore will not be giving direct instructions to officials in this regard”.

This is simply contemptible. After all, MPs had specific complaints and Mr Norman – who is a MP in Herefordshire – had to concede: “I may be a little less crisp on the detail than some of my colleagues on the rail side would be, but I assure all Members that their considerations will be heard and taken account of.”

BY all accounts, Caroline Nokes could not have been more unimpressive when the Immigration Minister gave evidence to the Northern Ireland Committee on Brexit.

Like Theresa May and Brexit Secretary David Davis, she, too, has not visited 
the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland which is fundamental to any customs deal with the EU.

Even more astonishingly, she admitted that she had not read the landmark Good Friday Agreement in full, prompting incredulity from committee members, who suggested that she did so before she made an even bigger fool of herself.

Just where does the Government get these people from?

IF Jeremy Corbyn wishes to sharpen up his act at Prime Minister’s Questions, he should seek the counsel of John Healey, the Shadow Housing Secretary.

The Wentworth and Dearne MP’s interrogation of Cabinet Minister 
James Brokenshire over the Grenfell Tower tragedy this week was truly forensic.

His opening question – how is it that two-thirds of Grenfell survivors are, 11 months later, still in hotels or temporary accommodation? – set the tone.

It was even more effective because the questions were crisp and concise, concluding with his assertion that the Government was keeping secret “the location, ownership and fire safety status of all high-rise blocks at risk”.

Mind, if Mr Corbyn wants any advice on transport questions, do call...

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