James Purnell leaves red box secrets on train

Cabinet Minister James Purnell has sparked a security row after losing confidential documents on a packed train. The rising Labour star – tipped as a future PM – broke strict guidelines by taking documents out of his “red box” on the trip. Ministers are warned against taking their Cabinet briefcases on public transport amid fears secret papers could be lost or stolen. Shocked passengers told how Work and Pensions Secretary Mr Purnell left his red box wide open while he wandered around the train making calls on his mobile. To make matters worse, the 38-year-old then raced off the train, leaving a file of documents behind. Among the private letters was one about the plight of Wayne Bowers, including his name, address and national insurance number. He was furious last night when told of Mr Purnell’s carelessness. Jobless Mr Bowers, 35, from Manchester had asked for help from his MP Gerald Kaufman to sort out a benefit claim. Mr Purnell’s reply to Mr Kaufman was among documents left on the train. An outraged Mr Bowers said: “I feel violated. To think that my personal details are in a letter a minister just leaves lying around on a train beggars belief. This is confidential information. It’s out of order and I deserve an apology.” Mr Purnell was travelling first class on the Virgin Pendolino 9.06am service from Macclesfield, Cheshire, to Euston, London, on October 4.Fellow travellers said Mr Purn ell thought nothing of emptying his ministerial box on to the table in front of him. He also left the red box – marked with the words Secretary of State. Department of Work and Pensions – unlocked and with papers on the table. One fellow traveller told the Sunday Mirror: “We recognised him straight away and he seemed to be showing off a bit. “He kept leaving the box and walking in and out of the carriage talking on his mobile. “I think he realised people knew who he was and was playing the big man. His behaviour was unbelievable. He was very arrogant.” Some astonished passengers took photos and videoed Mr Purnell’s red box as it lay unguarded in the carriage. As the train pulled into Euston, Mr Purnell hurriedly pulled his papers together and rushed off.Two women – on a business trip to France – picked up the documents he had left behind on the floor. They tried to find Mr Purnell, but he had disappeared so they had to take the file to Paris with them. Once there, one of the women tried to inform the authorities they had found government papers, but no one would take her seriously. She said: “Even when I telephoned Mr Purnell’s department in London I was told that nothing had gone missing. “In the end we simply put all the documents together and got them back to London early in the new week.”It took three days for the papers to find their way back to Mr Purnell’s Whitehall HQ. Last night, Mr Purnell denied he had been using his red box recklessly or was guilty of losing crucial info. Sunday Mirror