Children’s author told he is ‘bankrupting our country’ by TV presenter in travel spat

WorldPolitics
14 Nov 2025 • 10:24 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • Television presenter Kirstie Allsopp engaged in a social media dispute with acclaimed children's author Michael Rosen over his use of a free London public transport pass.
  • Allsopp accused Rosen of “bankrupting our country” by using the Transport for London (TfL) Freedom Pass despite his financial success.
  • Rosen questioned Allsopp's assumptions about his income and responsibilities, asking which state provisions are acceptable to use.
  • Allsopp argued that accepting free travel was wrong for those who could afford to pay, contrasting it with the higher costs of private healthcare and education.
  • The TfL Freedom Pass is available to London residents aged over 66 or with a disability, offering free travel on various London transport services.

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