IT’S a scenario that will be all-too familiar to frequent rail travellers: your train has no more seats, so you are forced to stand in the corridor between carriages trying to read a book or do some work.

Faced with such a situation, any self-important politician would snatch the chance for a free upgrade to first class, or even a paid one if it could be claimed back on their expenses.

Even the most ardent of Jeremy Corbyn’s critics were forced to admit the leader of the Opposition had played a political blinder earlier this month by declining an upgrade and slumming it with other fed-up travellers.

Here was a man of principle, happy to squat down on the floor to do his homework before a crucial meeting in Newcastle if it meant making a point about Britain’s privatised railways.

Yesterday’s release of CCTV images appearing to show Mr Corbyn walking past empty seats appeared to derail his principled stand. Ignoring empty seats just to make a political point would be a dirty trick worthy of the worst spin doctors.

However, the jury is still out after other passengers, not affiliated to the Labour leader, came forward to support Mr Corbyn’s claims.

Regardless of what happened, Mr Corbyn was right to draw attention to the plight of Britain’s rail commuters, although he was probably taking aim at the wrong company – Virgin’s East Coast Main Line service is highly rated by the people who use its trains. Others, particularly travellers on the much-maligned Southern Rail services, are not so lucky.

A return to public ownership looks unlikely – unless Mr Corbyn somehow manages to win the next General Election and gets his way – but the Government could still do more to make train operators accountable to their frustrated customers.

Introducing meaningful compensation for fed-up travellers would be a good start.