UPDATED

The ITV/Granada picture of George Osborne in 1st class twitter.com/MSmithsonPB/st…

— Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) October 19, 2012

UPDATE – and an hour later Andrew Mitchell resigns

The big political story that’s been developing over the past hour or so is that George Osborne was traveling from Wilmslow to Euston this afternoon in the first class carriage when, it is alleged, he only had a standard class ticket.

His embarrassment was made worse by the presence in the carriage of a Granada TV reporter, Rachel Townsend, equipped with a smartphone and, of course, the Twitter mobile ap. She managed to record what was happening in a series of Tweets and take the above picture – thus alerting the London media.

This is how she reported it:

>Very interesting train journey to Euston Chancellor George Osborne just got on at Wilmslow with a STANDARD ticket and he has sat in FIRST CLASS. His aide tells ticket collector he cannot possibly move and sit with the likes of us in standard class and requests he is allowed to remain. His aide tells ticket collector he cannot possibly move and sit with the likes of us in standard class and requests he is allowed to remain in First Class. Ticket collector refuses

In the end Osborne paid the supplementary fare of £160.

This is, of course, all froth but it comes after the PlebGate affair and will run for one or two news cycles.

It’s stupid and silly but will be remembered because it reinforces perceptions.

UPDATE:
The other big news that’s broken in the past half hour is that Andrew Mitchell has resigned as Chief Whip.

He’s denied using the word “Pleb” but has apologise for his action.

Mitchell’s departure comes after barely six weeks in the Chief Whip job.

There’d been quite a lot of betting on whether he’d go or not and I’m a small winner.

Mike Smithson

For the latest polling and political betting news from the US and UK

Follow @MSmithsonPB