This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jul/15/rail-minister-claire-perry-resigns
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Rail minister Claire Perry resigns as Southern commuter chaos continues | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The rail minister Claire Perry, who has been the public face of the government during the outcry over Southern railway’s failures, has resigned. | The rail minister Claire Perry, who has been the public face of the government during the outcry over Southern railway’s failures, has resigned. |
| No reason was given by the Department for Transport for her resignation, which happened on Thursday evening, but it came at the end of a fractious week in which she admitted she was “often ashamed to be the rail minister”. | No reason was given by the Department for Transport for her resignation, which happened on Thursday evening, but it came at the end of a fractious week in which she admitted she was “often ashamed to be the rail minister”. |
| In a Commons debate on Tuesday about Govia Thameslink Railway, which owns the Southern franchise, Perry said: “If I thought it would help by falling on my sword, I would. This feels like a failure.” | In a Commons debate on Tuesday about Govia Thameslink Railway, which owns the Southern franchise, Perry said: “If I thought it would help by falling on my sword, I would. This feels like a failure.” |
| While problems at Southern predate an industrial dispute that started last year over the role of guards or conductors on trains, the cancellations have worsened since strike action was called by the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) and staff sickness rates rose earlier this year. | While problems at Southern predate an industrial dispute that started last year over the role of guards or conductors on trains, the cancellations have worsened since strike action was called by the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) and staff sickness rates rose earlier this year. |
| Southern said it would press ahead with reforms to conductors’ jobs, which have been resisted by the RMT on grounds of safety and fears of job losses. | Southern said it would press ahead with reforms to conductors’ jobs, which have been resisted by the RMT on grounds of safety and fears of job losses. |
| Perry made an offer on Sunday to unions to guarantee the presence of a second staff member on trains into the next franchise term. But the RMT said the announcement raised more questions than answers. | Perry made an offer on Sunday to unions to guarantee the presence of a second staff member on trains into the next franchise term. But the RMT said the announcement raised more questions than answers. |
| Perry, the Conservative MP for Devizes, had been rail minister since July 2014. | Perry, the Conservative MP for Devizes, had been rail minister since July 2014. |
| Southern introduced an emergency timetable on Monday, cutting 341 trains a day to try to create a more predictable and resilient service, after a wave of cancellations and delays had caused fury among commuters. | Southern introduced an emergency timetable on Monday, cutting 341 trains a day to try to create a more predictable and resilient service, after a wave of cancellations and delays had caused fury among commuters. |
| Related: Southern Railway apologises as it axes 341 trains a day | Related: Southern Railway apologises as it axes 341 trains a day |
| On Friday, Southern announced it would be restoring 16 of those services after a relatively reliable week, with 80% of scheduled trains arriving on time, compared with about 60% when the normal timetable was running. | On Friday, Southern announced it would be restoring 16 of those services after a relatively reliable week, with 80% of scheduled trains arriving on time, compared with about 60% when the normal timetable was running. |
| Restored services include some of the trains serving south-east London to Tulse Hill and along the south coast from Seaford and Lewes. | Restored services include some of the trains serving south-east London to Tulse Hill and along the south coast from Seaford and Lewes. |
| The disruption caused to commuters’ journeys prompted a demonstration at Victoria station on Monday, while the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, has called for Govia to be stripped of the Southern franchise. | The disruption caused to commuters’ journeys prompted a demonstration at Victoria station on Monday, while the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, has called for Govia to be stripped of the Southern franchise. |