Grant Shapps pulls on hoodie, puffer jacket, and shades - goes viral
A Tory MP has gone viral for looking a bit out of touch, but not in the usual way - and it seems to have worked.
In an attempt to ease the cost of living crisis without in any way helping keep homes warm, the government on Tuesday announced the
Great British Rail Sale, offering Brits up to 50 per cent off train tickets around the UK between 25 April and 27 May.
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In doing so, Grant Shapps was wheeled out to front a no-frills video where he used a number of props - sunglasses, binoculars, and even a plastic crab - to encourage Brits to no longer shiver at home to save the NHS, but get out and see "our beautiful country" on the cheap.
Shapps, who has been getting roasted lately for refusing to be a party-pooper over the Tory partygate scandal, is clearly continuing his role as a good sport by tapping into that every-Tory-energy, reminiscent of Michael Gove's
Gettin' Jiggy With It magic in
Aberdeen and Matt Hancock's iconic 2019
Bittersweet (bus stop) Symphony video.
Metro diagnosed Shapps as having suffered "dad syndrome" in the "cringeworthy" advert which one Twitter user asked, "is it a parody?".
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Despite being casually attired in hoodie and tee, Shapps maintains serious dad-joke vibes in the low-fi video as he shows Brits where they can travel under the deal while clueing them in on what to pack. Puffer jacket for Edinburgh, sunglasses for Cornwall, binoculars for the Lake District.
The former photocopier salesman uses all the tricks at his disposal to sell the deal and it seems to have paid off. The video has already been viewed over 200,000 times and some Brits have said they've watched it multiple times.
"It is 9.31am and I have already watched the Grant Shapps video four times, please stage an intervention," Yorkshire-based Dr Alice Lilly joked on Twitter.
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Shapps mentioning the scheme in the same breath as the cost of living crisis has also not gone down well: "Are people supposed to burn the (train) tickets for heating or have you got any good recipes that use them?," one person wrote.
In the video, Shapps says: "For the first time ever, operators across the rail industry are coming together to help passengers facing rising costs of living by offering up to 50% off more than a million tickets on journeys across Britain.
"There’s no better time to visit friends, family or just explore our great country, so book your tickets today."
While people were quick to laugh - but perhaps not out loud - at the video, some have applauded Shapps and the Department for Transport, for putting out such a catchy promo.
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With tickets under the promotion only available until 2 May, the offer will have ended by the time many schools break up for May half term.
And it will also miss the four-day UK bank holiday weekend from 2 to 5 June, which will mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
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