Transport Sec Chris Grayling urged to resign for putting Conservative party before commuters after leaked letter spat
Minister refused London Mayor Sadiq Khan's plans for TfL to take over some suburban rail services because of costs, but a new letter shows other thoughts
A FORMER Tory Minister yesterday called for the Transport Secretary to step down for putting the Conservative party before commuters.
Bob Neill, an ex Communities Minister, said Chris Grayling had acted “extremely badly” and was “not fit to hold office” for opposing the devolving of rail services to City Hall.
It followed a leaked rail letter showing Mr Grayling opposed rail devolution to keep it “out of the clutches” of Labour.
In a 2013 letter from the Transport Secretary to the then London Mayor Boris Johnson he said he didn’t want a future Labour mayor to be in control of trains.
Mr Grayling, who was Justice Secretary at the time and was writing in his capacity as MP for Epsom and Ewell, wrote: “I would not be in favour of changing the current arrangements – not because I have any fears over the immediate future, but because I would like to keep suburban rail services out of the clutches of any future Labour mayor.”
Conservative MP Bob Neill, chair of the Justice Select Committee, said the views expressed in the letter meant Mr Grayling was “unfit for office” because he had acted for “party political reasons”.
He said: “If you look at what he said about the business case, that doesn’t stand true to me.
“He took the decision which he had already taken beforehand on purely partisan grounds.
“I think it’s disgraceful behaviour. He’s done a great deal of harm to London commuters who would’ve benefited significantly.
“I think he should go.”
Mr Neill added it was dishonest when Mr Grayling told MPs his decision was for financial reasons.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan, said giving TfL control of trains was the only way to improve “shocking” passenger service.
Department for Transport figures show that more than a third of rail passengers have to stand on trains arriving in parts of London in the morning rush-hour.
Commuters on the Southern network have suffered months of delays and cancellations partly caused by strikes over changes to the role of conductors and high levels of staff sickness.