Parliament’s ‘angriest’ MP tells rail boss Carne to decline CBE

Welwyn Hatfield MP Grant Shapps says he has become known as the “angriest MP” when it comes to discussions about trains.

He had a heated meeting with outgoing Network Rail boss Mark Carne yesterday (Tuesday) where he proceeded to tell Mr Carne that he should not have accepted a CBE while the rail network is in such a mess.

Mr Shapps said: “When I started explaining the mayhem on the line from Welwyn Garden City to Moorgate, he suggested that my Great Northern experience was ‘anecdotal’ compared to the impressive infrastructure achievements during his tenure.

“I expressed my shock at this attitude and pointed out that the disruption has been very widespread.

“I also suggested that declining his CBE for now would send a better message to commuters.

“Whatever the achievement of spending a large amount of public money on the railway infrastructure, right now people can’t get to work and back.

“Accepting an honour sends out completely the wrong message.”

Mr Shapps has already met with Govia Thameslink Railway bosses, who, according to Mr Shapps, described him as “the angriest MP they’d met over rail chaos”.

Prior to his meeting with Mr Carne, Mr Shapps posted on social media: “Given my journeys these past few weeks, I hope Mark Carne CBE is feeling brave today!”

Mr Carne was given the CBE in recognition of his contribution in modernising the rail infrastructure in recent years.

Network Rail chairman Sir Peter Hendy is reported as having said the timing of this accolade was “difficult”, but people should not lose sight of the achievements throughout Mr Carne’s career.