I spent last night drinking on the Circle Line. No, it wasn't one of my usual dark nights of the soul - a bottle of Buckie, raving to myself on public transport. One of Boris' first measures as London mayor is to ban drinking on public transport, which took affect today. So there was a massive Facebook organised bacchanalia of public drinking on the Tube to celebrate the last night of legal drinking.
It was really fun - a jovial, boisterous party, lots of different people. Many dressed up - on the carriage I was on there were guys dressed as Smurfs with their faces and chests painted blue. Two others were pimps - seventies chic with long leopard skin fur coats, which they were regretting when the train was stuck just out of Bayswater for about 30 minutes. It got mighty sweaty and stuffy. There were also this foreign elderly couple on board, probably tourists, looking shocked and horrified that they were somehow caught up in this. I did feel for them.
Apparently, the night ended on a bit of a sour note with arrests and some train staff assaulted. I'm not exactly sure I believe that. What I saw was completely chilled and friendly and the Met are not above putting out lies to journalists to get a political point across. Aunty Beeb's rather fusty coverage made me laugh. According to this report revelers were chanting 'If you hate Boris clap your hands.' Really? I didn't hear that. I did hear lots of 'Boris is a wanker, Boris is a wanker' and 'Boris is a cunt'.
The ban, of course, is a nonsense. The rail workers union say they will do nothing to enforce it and no police extra police will be deployed. And never mind what it says about Boris' core libertarian views. I thought the Tories were against the Nanny State.
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