Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick has urged authorities to “step up” and enforce “basic rules” following the release of a video in which he confronted fare dodgers at Stratford Station in east London.
The former Conservative minister shared the video on social media on Thursday, drawing widespread attention. In the clip, Mr Jenrick can be seen challenging several individuals who forced their way through ticket barriers without paying. In one instance, he asks, “Do you think it’s alright not to pay?” and urges another person to “go back through the barrier and pay.”
He later confronted someone at the top of an escalator with the question, “Do you want to go back and pay like everybody else?”
Speaking on BBC Radio 5Live later that day, Mr Jenrick said that while at the station, he observed staff taking no action. “They weren’t doing anything. They weren’t either trained or didn’t have the self-confidence to take action, and I think that’s the issue sometimes.”
He continued, “We need the authorities to actually understand that these things are not small rule breaks. They’re actually things that create a sense of impunity which makes everyone else feel less safe and drags the whole of society down.”
Mr Jenrick stressed that fare evasion, though often seen as minor, symbolises a broader erosion of social order. “I want TfL in this instance, but I also want the police, local councils, everybody to really step up. We need a conscious effort as a society to reassert these basic rules because I think that will make everyone’s lives better.”
Asked about whether he had permission to film at the station, Mr Jenrick admitted, “I didn’t know I needed permission,” but said he was “unapologetic” about posting the footage. He insisted that shining a spotlight on issues like fare dodging was part of his duty as a public servant.
Stratford is one of the busiest transport hubs in London, served by the London Underground, Overground, the Elizabeth Line, the DLR, and national rail services. The issue of fare evasion is an ongoing concern for Transport for London (TfL), with annual losses estimated in the tens of millions due to passengers avoiding payment.
However, Mr Jenrick’s intervention has not been without criticism. The Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA), a union representing rail and transport workers, accused the MP of grandstanding.
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In a statement, the TSSA said, “This incident was not only inappropriate but also potentially dangerous for passengers, staff and the individuals involved. Fare evasion is a serious issue, but it must be tackled with professional, trained enforcement—not MPs trying to score points or social media clout on their daily commute.”
The union warned that such confrontations, while perhaps well-intentioned, could escalate into unsafe situations and should be left to trained personnel with the authority and equipment to intervene appropriately.
Nevertheless, Mr Jenrick has stood by his actions, framing the episode as a small stand in the larger debate about respect for rules and public order. “It’s about the principle. If we all start turning a blind eye to these things, where does it stop?”
As the political conversation around law and order continues, Jenrick’s video has sparked fresh debate over the role of public figures in policing social norms and the responsibility of transport authorities to maintain control in busy urban settings. Whether his approach will prompt a policy rethink remains to be seen.
