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| Chris Grayling's five biggest failings | Chris Grayling's five biggest failings |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| B&B gay comments | B&B gay comments |
| In 2010, the then shadow home secretary, Grayling, was forced to apologise after a recording obtained by the Observer captured him saying that people who ran bed and breakfasts in their homes should have the right to turn away gay couples on the basis that “we need to allow people to have their own consciences”. The remarks prompted a furious response from gay groups and other parties and David Cameron came under pressure to sack him to prove that the Conservatives did not tolerate prejudice. | In 2010, the then shadow home secretary, Grayling, was forced to apologise after a recording obtained by the Observer captured him saying that people who ran bed and breakfasts in their homes should have the right to turn away gay couples on the basis that “we need to allow people to have their own consciences”. The remarks prompted a furious response from gay groups and other parties and David Cameron came under pressure to sack him to prove that the Conservatives did not tolerate prejudice. |
| Banning books for prisoners | Banning books for prisoners |
| As justice secretary, Grayling notoriously introduced a ban on prisoners receiving books from friends or relatives, and limited the number of books each prisoner was able to have in a cell. It was introduced as part of a crackdown on what ministers described as prisoners’ “perks and privileges”. High-profile opponents included the Howard League for Penal Reform, which gained support from leading authors, including the poet laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, David Hare, Salman Rushdie and Jeffrey Archer. A high court ruling in December 2015 found that the measure was unlawful and it was subsequently scrapped. | As justice secretary, Grayling notoriously introduced a ban on prisoners receiving books from friends or relatives, and limited the number of books each prisoner was able to have in a cell. It was introduced as part of a crackdown on what ministers described as prisoners’ “perks and privileges”. High-profile opponents included the Howard League for Penal Reform, which gained support from leading authors, including the poet laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, David Hare, Salman Rushdie and Jeffrey Archer. A high court ruling in December 2015 found that the measure was unlawful and it was subsequently scrapped. |
| Seaborne Freight | Seaborne Freight |
| Grayling was widely mocked after it emerged that he had awarded Seaborne Freight a no-deal Brexit ferry contract despite the company not owning any ships and having never previously operated a ferry service. The contract was cancelled earlier this month by the Department for Transport after it said that an Irish shipping firm, Arklow Shipping, that had been backing the deal pulled out. To add to the confusion Arklow Shipping later denied it ever had a stake in the venture. The government has agreed a new £33m contract with Eurotunnel in order to settle a legal action. | |
| Rail timetable chaos | Rail timetable chaos |
| Grayling was transport secretary when a change to rail timetables caused chaos, leading to the cancellation of thousands of services. More than one in 10 Northern and Thameslink trains were cancelled after the introduction of the new timetables on 20 May last year. In an interim report into the debacle, the Office of Road and Rail singled out the train operators Govia Thameslink Railway and Northern, Network Rail and the Department for Transport (DfT) for criticism, saying their mistakes had led to the collapse of services. The rail regulator criticised the DfT for failing to question the industry’s assurances about the risk of disruption. | Grayling was transport secretary when a change to rail timetables caused chaos, leading to the cancellation of thousands of services. More than one in 10 Northern and Thameslink trains were cancelled after the introduction of the new timetables on 20 May last year. In an interim report into the debacle, the Office of Road and Rail singled out the train operators Govia Thameslink Railway and Northern, Network Rail and the Department for Transport (DfT) for criticism, saying their mistakes had led to the collapse of services. The rail regulator criticised the DfT for failing to question the industry’s assurances about the risk of disruption. |
| Part-privatisation of probation contracts | Part-privatisation of probation contracts |
| Failings by the Ministry of Justice in the part-privatisation of probation services will cost taxpayers at least £171m, according to a National Audit Office (NAO) report published on Friday. Under Grayling, in 2013, the ministry created 21 community rehabilitation companies (CRCs) to manage low- and medium-risk offenders with the aim of cutting reoffending rates and costs. The NAO found that while there has been a 2.5% reduction in the proportion of offenders proven to have committed another crime between 2011 and March 2017, the number of offences per reoffender has increased by 22%. | Failings by the Ministry of Justice in the part-privatisation of probation services will cost taxpayers at least £171m, according to a National Audit Office (NAO) report published on Friday. Under Grayling, in 2013, the ministry created 21 community rehabilitation companies (CRCs) to manage low- and medium-risk offenders with the aim of cutting reoffending rates and costs. The NAO found that while there has been a 2.5% reduction in the proportion of offenders proven to have committed another crime between 2011 and March 2017, the number of offences per reoffender has increased by 22%. |
| Chris Grayling | Chris Grayling |
| Conservatives | Conservatives |
| Transport | Transport |
| Transport policy | Transport policy |
| analysis | analysis |
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