So where is Philip Hammond today?

So where is the Secretary of State today?

Eye finds it a little surprising that Petrol-head should be missing on the day when his department announced that a £1.5bn order for new trains is to be awarded to a German manufacturing plant.

An announcement that will result in many thousands of British voters losing their jobs.

A decision that will result in the death of train manufacturing in Derby after 160 years.

An order paid for by the taxpayer that has little to offer either British business or UK PLC.

A contract award that might have been explained to the whole rail industry at Railtex, but was instead disclosed by a junior minister in a written answer and in calls to selected hacks.

Eye is sure that the decision was made for sound reasons, but is surprised that the Secretary of State didn't see fit to make it himself?

UPDATE: This from Flat Cap and Whippet...

Buried in a Whitehall website, under business rates at ports and waste, you would have surely noticed that Hammond was having a jolly in a landlocked European country.

Who cares about thousands of British jobs, when one has a comprehensive air transport agreement to start negotiating with Moldova.