Kirstie Allsopp went after an elderly children’s author for having a free bus pass and, safe to say, she lost the room with this argument
Kirstie Allsopp seems to have a knack for locating, locating, locating herself in online spats about different facets of modern life – from giving kids iPads over breakfast to young people ditching festivals to save for a home.
This week, she got into it with children’s author Michael Rosen about his having a Freedom Pass (which allows for free public transport travel in London for those over 66).
It started when Rosen tweeted about trouble he was having using his pass.
My Freedom Pass doesn't work. I went to the website to get a replacement Freedom Pass. It won't let me get a replacement Freedom Pass because the website says 'You do not currently have an active Freedom Pass.'
— Michael Rosen NICE 爷爷 (@MichaelRosenYes) November 12, 2025
Enter Kirstie, who thinks Michael is successful enough to pay for travel and not avail of the pass.
A writer so successful that today is a day dedicated to him in schools all over the country thinks it is reasonable that he travels for free due to his age. People have to stop taking things they do not need, it is wrong and it is bankrupting our country. https://t.co/emkggnFVpr
— Kirstie Allsopp (@KirstieMAllsopp) November 14, 2025
They then got into a back-and-forth in replies and quote-tweets. The argument boils down to: Kirstie thinks the Freedom Pass should be means-tested and that the country has to reconsider what it pays for. Michael thinks she’s making a lot of assumptions about his financial circumstances.
That is not the same, you do not need to travel for free, you can afford to pay, older travels can get discounts, like students, but accepting free travel is wrong.
— Kirstie Allsopp (@KirstieMAllsopp) November 14, 2025
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No, the country is being bankrupted by handing out more than we receive & by our debt. We need a serious debate about what is and is not affordable and we have a responsibility to our children not to kick these problems down the road, we have to face them full on.
— Kirstie Allsopp (@KirstieMAllsopp) November 14, 2025
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You are one of the most successful children’s author in the UK, that’s why there is a special day. You tweeted about your Freedom Pass, but did it not occur to you not apply for it? When we use this platform we know it’s not all about being agreed with.
— Kirstie Allsopp (@KirstieMAllsopp) November 14, 2025
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You have missed my point. You are personalising a debate about benefits and national debt. There is zero reason to open a debate about this by talking about something you know nothing about: ie my disposable income.
— Michael Rosen NICE 爷爷 (@MichaelRosenYes) November 14, 2025
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As you went personal here, can I ask you how you handle tax relief, tax efficiency and tax avoidance? Do you think you (or your accountant) have ever managed to do your accounts so as to avoid paying tax? Contributing to charities is a form of tax relief, isn't it? Done that?
— Michael Rosen NICE 爷爷 (@MichaelRosenYes) November 14, 2025
Safe to say, most people seemed to be on Michael’s side.
1.
We need to realise that our country cannot afford to provide things for free for people who can afford them. Our money in is not covering our money out and something has to change.
— Kirstie Allsopp (@KirstieMAllsopp) November 14, 2025
2.
As Michael Rosen has said himself he use the NHS and his children went to state school. I think we have to stop taking things that we do not need.
— Kirstie Allsopp (@KirstieMAllsopp) November 14, 2025
3.
Your father, the 6th Baron Hindlip, inherited his peerage (hence you are the honourable Kirst Allsopp).
I would argue inheriting a hereditary peerage is definitely taking something you don't need.
I don't really think free bus travel for the over 65s is the issue.
— Harry Eccles (@Heccles94) November 14, 2025
4.
I think you’ve picked on the wrong guy here. My advice is slowly put the shovel down and climb out of the hole.
— Mike Henley (@trentconsultant) November 14, 2025
5.
Maybe we should make him a Lord. Then he can simply sign into the HOLs every day, leave immediately, because there's no compunction to actually do anything, claim his £371 a day, and pay for his bus fair home out of that? pic.twitter.com/nvXw7UFlXU
— Andy Coates (@AndyWoodturner) November 14, 2025
6.
You should watch Dispatches, the episode about the wealth of King Charles and Prince William. And they’re so successful they’re on our bank notes! Then you might have a bit of sympathy for someone who’s worked all their life getting a free bus ride, Kirst.
— Jonathan Harvey (@JOJEHARVEY) November 14, 2025
7.
Kirstie Allsopp the daughter of Charles Allsopp, 6th Baron Hindlip who basically bailed her out so she could buy her first house at 21, has tweeted about taking things they don't need
— Roy Andrew (@AndrewRoy70) November 14, 2025
8.
did you ever take child benefit
— Friday Nights Chippy Night (@TheHoodedClaw66) November 14, 2025
9.
Hi Kirstie, I agree. We should get rid of business write offs too, make people pay a wealth tax too. They don't need ALL that money, do they? And why stop there?! Let's stop tax deductibles for rental properties & those pesky non doms! But, yeah @MichaelRosenYes is mugging us!…
— Martin Ferguson (@MrFerguson85) November 14, 2025
10.
This book by @MichaelRosenYes
helped my eldestTo
1. Learn to read
2. And speak clearlyOne thinks the man deserves a free travel card 🙂 pic.twitter.com/w1epL7xyWd
— Ciara Curran (@CiaraOnly1) November 14, 2025
11.
Apply this rule to wealthy politicians first
— mrchrisjohn (@mrchrisjohn) November 14, 2025
12.
Should people with private pensions refuse their state pensions?
— Paul Schleifer ♻️ (@PaulSchleifer) November 15, 2025
13.
Hi Kirstie I'm a great fan of you & Phil, but I think you are conflating success with income here. On Wednesday Michael was in Brighton performing to 1000 children & yesterday broadcast to 300K children in schools. He will not receive a fee for these 2 days of work.
— Emma-Louise Williams (@Underthecranes) November 14, 2025
14.
https://t.co/UZTNpoqmy8 pic.twitter.com/LhbQXRIRQf
— Richard Felix Stan Account (@JglfReturns) November 14, 2025
15.
A pointless personal attack on an almost 80 year-old man who mostly works for free to support children’s literacy, who narrowly survived Covid and continues to have severe health issues. His crime? Using the free bus pass he is entitled to. https://t.co/PNsadpaZhS
— Catherine Taylor (@KatyaTaylor) November 14, 2025
16.
Kirstie, castigates a nationally loved poet & author (who happens to be left wing, let’s not worry about that) that just because he’s managed to have survived (with some difficulty if you look into it) to an age he gets a train pass.
Kirstie got many free passes from birth. https://t.co/uZZzQjW2TK pic.twitter.com/u3G9nA2tQy
— Mick ☕️ (@MickCoffey2) November 14, 2025
And Michael saw the upside to the furore.
17.
Leaving aside the discussion as to whether I should or should not have a Freedom Pass, I'm glad to say that Kirstie Allsopp's tweet has had 1.8 million views. As Kirstie mentioned Michael Rosen Day in it, I have to thank Kirstie for that.
— Michael Rosen NICE 爷爷 (@MichaelRosenYes) November 15, 2025
Source: Twitter/X/@KirstieMAllsopp