Xenophobia on the Virgin Express

I've heard a lot about the growing Brexit xenophobia being nurtured by the likes of the Daily Mail, The Sun and Express, but prior to our holiday trip to the lovely North East town of Seahouses a couple of weeks ago I'd not really witnessed any.

I mean we've seen the video of anti-immigrant or racist abuse on the Manchester Metrolink right?

So, let's get down to the specifics. On Saturday, July 22 we were on the (I believe) Virgin Intercity (though it might have been Cross County) to Newcastle from Birmingham New Street. I think we would be arriving at 14:46 and then catching the next train to Berwick upon Tweed.

Me and my wife had an allocated pair of aisle seats at a table as it happened and there was a couple in the window seats too. I was travelling backwards. Slightly behind me and on the opposite side window seat was a lady - clearly very pregnant - enjoying the ride.

That is, until the conductor came along and asked for her ticket. Instead she presented him with a printed A4 sheet with her booking details including a code for the ticket. She didn't know this wasn't a proper ticket, because she was from Hungary and hadn't been in the country that long.

Instead of being gracious and explaining how she could get her ticket, the ticket inspector started to get really bolshy with her; threatening her with a fine or throwing her off the train - but she didn't have any real money with her either, her partner was the one who had actually bought the ticket online.

So, I said to the inspector it was obviously an innocent mistake so couldn't she get it sorted out at the end of the journey? To which he spouted "They wouldn't allow that where she comes from!" and stormed off down the carriage like a true Daily Express reader!

Me and my wife did a double-take. So, did the couple next to us at the window side. Then between us we all did a double-double take. Then we chatted with the woman for a few minutes and explained how she should be able to sort it out when she gets off the train by going to Information.

And the post-script for any xenophobe blog readers: I've no idea if they'd immediately chuck you off a train in Hungary for only having the booking information instead of an actual ticket, but who cares? Why should we define our behaviour by the worst we might imagine about another country's? To me it just sounds like a mirror image of your own inner thoughts and you can't fix that by targeting Eastern Europeans.