From our own correspondent
Monday, April 19, 2010 The story so far. A friend and his family, due home last Friday after holidaying in Spain, have been stuck in Madrid since Saturday having travelled there by train from Malaga. They hope to get a train to Paris tomorrow, followed by Eurostar to Kings Cross on Wednesday.
The latest bulletin arrived this morning:
Well, it looks as though the government have finally woken up to the fact that people are stranded abroad - probably too busy looking at the polls to see what's been happening for the past few days.
Apparently they are now having a Cobra Cabinet meeting (which meets in times of war and crisis) and prime minister Gordon Brown (still) has suggested they might use the navy to move people from Europe back to Blighty. Perhaps he should check with Des Browne the defence secretary to see if we still have a navy which can do this since they have cut it to a minimum. Pretty rum (geddit?) for an island nation - huh!
He also is speaking to the Spanish PM about flying Britons abroad to Spain (where airports are still open). Hey Gordon, Spain is great, mate, but how do you get them back to the UK from here dumbass! If our experience is anything to go by the travel pipe is full.
Back here on Earth we have one more day in Madrid before we take our chances with the French railway strike tomorrow morning ...
It's a mini adventure. Watch this space.
Reader Comments (4)
Uh. Correction. Spain was asked if the airports could be used to fly people home. BUT, I will still get my tupennurth in. 200,000 people stranded abroad. Why call a cabinet meeting? Are they concerned about people stranded abroad? Of course they are, 200,000 votes which might be some of theirs!!
There appears to be a lot of controversy going on about the way that the close down has been handled.
Aviation experts and pilots are asking why they havent been shown the data as to why the decision of a complete shutdown was taken and questioned why they just relied on computer data.
Granted its better to err on the side of caution in a situation like this but seemingly the US who have more experience with eruptions still fly planes without any consequences.
Bet the navy's pleased at the prospect of screaming weans running amok on its ships. There again, Jonah's organised this so anyone with sense would decline the offer - they're bound to end up blown off course and disappearing in the Bermuda Triangle :)
Joyce -
I wouldn't worry overmuch about the Senior Service.
All the Tars have probably been given the 'appropriate training' by Mothercare, anyway.