So what is the average wage of a working class person in Stoke that would make them turn their nose up at MP's pay?
The point is that working class people in Stoke would not get near the job in the first place, those plumb seats are reserved for the Oxbridge set.
Labour HQ keeps a very tight rein on who gets the cream.
Below are some working class people from Stoke who became Labour MPs :-)
Mark Fisher (born 1944), Labour MP. John Forrester (1924–2007), Labour MP. David Kidney (born 1955), Labour MP. George Stevenson (born 1938), Labour MP Joan Walley (born 1949), Labour MP.
So what is the average wage of a working class person in Stoke that would make them turn their nose up at MP's pay?
The point is that working class people in Stoke would not get near the job in the first place, those plumb seats are reserved for the Oxbridge set.
Labour HQ keeps a very tight rein on who gets the cream.
Below are some working class people from Stoke who became Labour MPs :-)
Mark Fisher (born 1944), Labour MP. John Forrester (1924–2007), Labour MP. David Kidney (born 1955), Labour MP. George Stevenson (born 1938), Labour MP Joan Walley (born 1949), Labour MP.
The really sad thing that comes out of all of this is that more and more people are becoming so disillusioned with politics and politicians that unless voting becomes compulsory which in the end I think it will then we are going to get even less of a turnout at elections that than we currently do. Democracy is starting to suffer. We need to find a way by which the people can start to engage in the process again and feel that it actually matters. There is an ignorance amongst the general population about all things politic that is breathtakingly scary. We are already effectively being ruled by the aristocracy via Eton. What's the next step ? A non constitutional monarch.
Politics is dead in this country. As has been touched upon above, it has become a career and not a calling, much like everything else today. Here's hoping that the 20th century catastrophe of global war never rears it's head again but as I get older and more cynical by the day, that is what stirs the pot and causes the great shift changes in our society. That is what creates the great politicians, that dragged us kicking and screaming into the Welfare State and modern society (which is now so debased BTW). I fear we will never see the like of these men/women again and are stuck with a revolving door of Camerons,Millibands and Cleggs, frightening eh?
So what is the average wage of a working class person in Stoke that would make them turn their nose up at MP's pay?
The point is that working class people in Stoke would not get near the job in the first place, those plumb seats are reserved for the Oxbridge set.
Labour HQ keeps a very tight rein on who gets the cream.
Below are some working class people from Stoke who became Labour MPs :-)
Mark Fisher (born 1944), Labour MP. John Forrester (1924–2007), Labour MP. David Kidney (born 1955), Labour MP. George Stevenson (born 1938), Labour MP Joan Walley (born 1949), Labour MP.
The youngest one there is 58ish. I think it is quite clear what path you need to tread to become a MP today.
Sounds like you don't think much of your mate cafcfan!
It would be interesting to understand why your friend wanted the job, as money obviously wasn't a factor. Unless they were thinking of what's possible from expenses, speaking engagements, lobbying groups, non-exec directorships, various quangos et al.
As Muttley says, there's no shortage of applicants. I also agree with you about the quality, but that's the same in any walk of life. Weeding out the non-performers shouldn't take 5 years though!
I've been thinking about this and it's probably not right for me to answer fully on his behalf. However, he is disabled, restricted to an electric wheelchair and needs a full-time minder/driver who is currently paid for (subsidised?) by his local council and they keep threatening to withdraw support (despite the fact that he would then cost the state more money because he would be forced into unemployment). A cynical view would be that an MPs expenses would pay for his minder, whereas his current employment, as lucrative as it is, would not. However he is a champion for disabled rights and probably thinks he would do a good job for them (and his constituents in general presumably) in Parliament. I'd suggest that his disability - he calls himself a cripple - would preclude him from benefiting from the lucrative extra-curricular activities you mention.
The fact that the Labour Party has been taken over by a middle-class cabal that sees politics as a chance to "Be someone rather than do something" is an absolute travesty and a tragedy.
fully agree Ormiston ... all of the parties have never been so out of touch with the populace
Sounds like you don't think much of your mate cafcfan!
It would be interesting to understand why your friend wanted the job, as money obviously wasn't a factor. Unless they were thinking of what's possible from expenses, speaking engagements, lobbying groups, non-exec directorships, various quangos et al.
As Muttley says, there's no shortage of applicants. I also agree with you about the quality, but that's the same in any walk of life. Weeding out the non-performers shouldn't take 5 years though!
I've been thinking about this and it's probably not right for me to answer fully on his behalf. However, he is disabled, restricted to an electric wheelchair and needs a full-time minder/driver who is currently paid for (subsidised?) by his local council and they keep threatening to withdraw support (despite the fact that he would then cost the state more money because he would be forced into unemployment). A cynical view would be that an MPs expenses would pay for his minder, whereas his current employment, as lucrative as it is, would not. However he is a champion for disabled rights and probably thinks he would do a good job for them (and his constituents in general presumably) in Parliament. I'd suggest that his disability - he calls himself a cripple - would preclude him from benefiting from the lucrative extra-curricular activities you mention.
cafcfan...I've put a "like" on your response because this is exactly the sort of reason that I would want someone to take up a role in the House. There to champion the rights of their constituents and the greater good of a group who are not represented as they should be.
I apologise for my cynical view above. I've always been passionate about my politics and wish that more of the country would actually get out and vote when they have the opportunity. Unfortunately, I don't have to think too hard about why they are disillusioned, given some of the antics of MPs in recent years and, to some extent, that explains my cynicism too.
For example, rather than accept that our children and grandchildren will not be able to pay for the pensions we have promised ourselves, we gripe about how unfair it is to have to work a bit longer. In 1948 few pensioners got past 75, today thousands get past 100, the system designed in 1948 is broke because that financial model means we should be drawing our pensions well after we reach 70. Our children can't afford our pensions but who is championing their interests until they can vote?
So we vote in governments who promise to make us richer even though we don't know how they will deliver and disbelieve anything that says we can't afford what we are "entitled" to. It takes politicians without conscience and without ethics to deliver in such a world, and this has been deliveredin full. What we need are politicians with vision and integrity, but they don't stand a chance today their messages would be drowned in a media overload of superficial twitter type noise and an audience expecting immediate gratification from as much of the nation's wealth as they can grab. In the stampede it is the deserving honest unfortunates who lose out.
Sounds like you don't think much of your mate cafcfan!
It would be interesting to understand why your friend wanted the job, as money obviously wasn't a factor. Unless they were thinking of what's possible from expenses, speaking engagements, lobbying groups, non-exec directorships, various quangos et al.
As Muttley says, there's no shortage of applicants. I also agree with you about the quality, but that's the same in any walk of life. Weeding out the non-performers shouldn't take 5 years though!
I've been thinking about this and it's probably not right for me to answer fully on his behalf. However, he is disabled, restricted to an electric wheelchair and needs a full-time minder/driver who is currently paid for (subsidised?) by his local council and they keep threatening to withdraw support (despite the fact that he would then cost the state more money because he would be forced into unemployment). A cynical view would be that an MPs expenses would pay for his minder, whereas his current employment, as lucrative as it is, would not. However he is a champion for disabled rights and probably thinks he would do a good job for them (and his constituents in general presumably) in Parliament. I'd suggest that his disability - he calls himself a cripple - would preclude him from benefiting from the lucrative extra-curricular activities you mention.
I've always been passionate about my politics and wish that more of the country would actually get out and vote when they have the opportunity.
And vote for what though Tel ?
Party A - Went to Eton & Oxford, only worked in politics Party B -Went to Oxford, only worked in politics, plays the violin Party C - Went to private school, then Cambridge, only ever worked in politics bar a bit at the European Commission
There is no one i can relate to, no one i feel will ever speak from either the heart or experience, and no one who has a single iota of interest of what is best for someone like me and my family.
I'm not sure why the UK's two premier universities (ie. Oxbridge) are being lumped in with top private schools like Eton to demonstrate a point about not understanding the interests of Joe Public. There are thousands of extremely bright kids from working class backgrounds currently studying at the former, but virtually none being educated at the latter.
This is not to suggest the distribution of Oxbridge students exactly reflects the UK's demographics (the amount of private school-educated students is of course disproportionate) but entrance no longer represents the obstacles it did a couple of generations ago, and the trends continue to move in that direction.
Moreover Oxbridge students are by definition smart (even if in some cases only in very narrow fields), and I'm not sure why it should be seen as a bad thing for MPs to be smart given the complexity of most policy decisions, particularly at ministry level.
The really sad thing that comes out of all of this is that more and more people are becoming so disillusioned with politics and politicians that unless voting becomes compulsory which in the end I think it will then we are going to get even less of a turnout at elections that than we currently do. Democracy is starting to suffer. We need to find a way by which the people can start to engage in the process again and feel that it actually matters. There is an ignorance amongst the general population about all things politic that is breathtakingly scary. We are already effectively being ruled by the aristocracy via Eton. What's the next step ? A non constitutional monarch.
Or, it could be that politics is complete and utter bollocks. Another untrue construct that has absolutely no meaning in the real world and that those who beliueve otherwise are merely self deluded fools who really believe that they can make a difference.
Can a democracy cope with more of the electorate taking from the pie than those that contribute? I think that either the welfare model has to change (contributory only for example) or voting has to be far more restricted.
Party D made up of sons and daughters of former prominent MP's, been brought up on politics. Bit like football but very few of the off spring ever make it to the top as players allthough loads try.
The fact that the Labour Party has been taken over by a middle-class cabal that sees politics as a chance to "Be someone rather than do something" is an absolute travesty and a tragedy.
fully agree Ormiston ... all of the parties have never been so out of touch with the populace
I would contend that it is more in touch with its currently leader than the previous two. Mind you that is through listening to what he says rather than what others (the press) say about him!
I'm not sure why the UK's two premier universities (ie. Oxbridge) are being lumped in with top private schools like Eton to demonstrate a point about not understanding the interests of Joe Public. There are thousands of extremely bright kids from working class backgrounds currently studying at the former, but virtually none being educated at the latter.
This is not to suggest the distribution of Oxbridge students exactly reflects the UK's demographics (the amount of private school-educated students is of course disproportionate) but entrance no longer represents the obstacles it did a couple of generations ago, and the trends continue to move in that direction.
Moreover Oxbridge students are by definition smart (even if in some cases only in very narrow fields), and I'm not sure why it should be seen as a bad thing for MPs to be smart given the complexity of most policy decisions, particularly at ministry level.
I understand your point and it might seem unfair to be picking on Oxbridge but the reality is that the vast majority of students going to Oxbridge come from elite private schools - but that's not the main point here.
The point is that the Labour Party is supposed to be just that, a party formed by the workers that looks after the interests of working class people.
Therefore, how can its MPs really represent that section of society when they largely come from the middle-classes and have no more idea about what it is like to live on a council estate and work for 6 quid per hour in a factory than I do about astro physics?
To represent a group you have to know a group and if the Labour Party really and truly understood the needs of working class people in the way that they should then they would have spent a lot less time on issues like gay marriage (as worthy an idea as it is) and fox hunting and far more on addressing the core needs of its voters.
In particular, you only had to spend 10 minutes in the company of any working class Briton (particularly in the south east) from the early-to-mid 2000s to realize that immigration was becoming a massive, massive issue and a real problem for Labour's heartland working class voters.
What was the response from Brown and Blair? They buried their heads in the sand and labelled anyone who even wanted to have the debate as 'racist' and so on - not only could they not see the problem but they refused to acknowledge it anyway.
This is what I mean you see, on the issue of immigration Labour handled the issue in the way that suited its middle-class intelligentsia ruling classes - NOT the way that suited its real blue-collar working class supporters that were really having to deal with the fall out of massive immigration intakes.
It was only after losing the election and taking stock they realized that immigration had killed them in many of the core constituencies, so in order to not offend the Islington crowd they effectively sold their working class supporters down the river - an extraordinary state of affairs.
I am a lifelong Labour Party supporter but the way that the party has allowed itself to be so disconnected from its base is unbelievable, my working-class family in London feel very little in common with Labour these days because they no longer feel the party actually represents them or their interests.
The Labour Party 'sold it's soul down the river' to attract Conservative and Liberal voters - hence Blair and 'New Labour' - a moderate left of centre party.
The real Socialist Labour party only has a few MPs and they're always labelled as 'firebrands'. Can't help thinking the Country would be in a far better place with a real passionate left wing Labour leader or foaming at the mouth right wing Tory leader.
The only two Politicos with real spunk at the moment are Johnson and Farage. The rest all appear to be really wet, towing the political line figures. Even the likes of Clair Short, Jeremy Corbyn, and Diane Abbott are remarkably quiet at the moment.
Sounds like you don't think much of your mate cafcfan!
It would be interesting to understand why your friend wanted the job, as money obviously wasn't a factor. Unless they were thinking of what's possible from expenses, speaking engagements, lobbying groups, non-exec directorships, various quangos et al.
As Muttley says, there's no shortage of applicants. I also agree with you about the quality, but that's the same in any walk of life. Weeding out the non-performers shouldn't take 5 years though!
I've been thinking about this and it's probably not right for me to answer fully on his behalf. However, he is disabled, restricted to an electric wheelchair and needs a full-time minder/driver who is currently paid for (subsidised?) by his local council and they keep threatening to withdraw support (despite the fact that he would then cost the state more money because he would be forced into unemployment). A cynical view would be that an MPs expenses would pay for his minder, whereas his current employment, as lucrative as it is, would not. However he is a champion for disabled rights and probably thinks he would do a good job for them (and his constituents in general presumably) in Parliament. I'd suggest that his disability - he calls himself a cripple - would preclude him from benefiting from the lucrative extra-curricular activities you mention.
I've always been passionate about my politics and wish that more of the country would actually get out and vote when they have the opportunity.
And vote for what though Tel ?
Party A - Went to Eton & Oxford, only worked in politics Party B -Went to Oxford, only worked in politics, plays the violin Party C - Went to private school, then Cambridge, only ever worked in politics bar a bit at the European Commission
For example, rather than accept that our children and grandchildren will not be able to pay for the pensions we have promised ourselves, we gripe about how unfair it is to have to work a bit longer. In 1948 few pensioners got past 75, today thousands get past 100, the system designed in 1948 is broke because that financial model means we should be drawing our pensions well after we reach 70. Our children can't afford our pensions but who is championing their interests until they can vote?
So we vote in governments who promise to make us richer even though we don't know how they will deliver and disbelieve anything that says we can't afford what we are "entitled" to. It takes politicians without conscience and without ethics to deliver in such a world, and this has been deliveredin full. What we need are politicians with vision and integrity, but they don't stand a chance today their messages would be drowned in a media overload of superficial twitter type noise and an audience expecting immediate gratification from as much of the nation's wealth as they can grab. In the stampede it is the deserving honest unfortunates who lose out.
Right now I'd settle for a politician prepared to stand up against big businesses riding roughshot over our laws and their moral obligations to society. Like those businesses currently taking the pee with annuity fees for example.
Tories won't do it as they are far too cosy with them, Labour won't do it because the need to be seen as business friendly and the other lot are just glad to be along for the ride for a while.
Sounds like you don't think much of your mate cafcfan!
It would be interesting to understand why your friend wanted the job, as money obviously wasn't a factor. Unless they were thinking of what's possible from expenses, speaking engagements, lobbying groups, non-exec directorships, various quangos et al.
As Muttley says, there's no shortage of applicants. I also agree with you about the quality, but that's the same in any walk of life. Weeding out the non-performers shouldn't take 5 years though!
I've been thinking about this and it's probably not right for me to answer fully on his behalf. However, he is disabled, restricted to an electric wheelchair and needs a full-time minder/driver who is currently paid for (subsidised?) by his local council and they keep threatening to withdraw support (despite the fact that he would then cost the state more money because he would be forced into unemployment). A cynical view would be that an MPs expenses would pay for his minder, whereas his current employment, as lucrative as it is, would not. However he is a champion for disabled rights and probably thinks he would do a good job for them (and his constituents in general presumably) in Parliament. I'd suggest that his disability - he calls himself a cripple - would preclude him from benefiting from the lucrative extra-curricular activities you mention.
I've always been passionate about my politics and wish that more of the country would actually get out and vote when they have the opportunity.
And vote for what though Tel ?
Party A - Went to Eton & Oxford, only worked in politics Party B -Went to Oxford, only worked in politics, plays the violin Party C - Went to private school, then Cambridge, only ever worked in politics bar a bit at the European Commission
There is no one i can relate to, no one i feel will ever speak from either the heart or experience, and no one who has a single iota of interest of what is best for someone like me and my family.
AFKA...sadly, you're right. Dippenhall said it earlier. We get the politicians we deserve!
I should have maybe added to my post that, as well as voting, people should get involved in politics at every level. Only then can we get a mixed representation of the populace and get people involved, but I know how hard it is to break what has become a clique stronger than anything even CL has...in any of the parties.
I am, however, a bad one to lead by example. I want the ideal of our politicians acting in the best interests of all of us. I just don't think there are enough good men and women doing it for those reasons in this (or probably any) country and even internal politics (in my own workplace) frustrate me.
I do think, as with all things eventually, that things work in cycles. The demographic changes in this country will eventually see some change in those who enter politics but, I suspect, unless this is at a mass level those who control party mechanics will come from the same groups you mention.
That manifests itself by people not voting but also by the fact that, depending on geography, you could stick a blue or red rosette on a pig and people would vote for it!
We get the politicians we deserve because we don't call them to account and punish them at the ballot box.
That manifests itself by people not voting but also by the fact that, depending on geography, you could stick a blue or red rosette on a pig and people would vote for it!
We get the politicians we deserve because we don't call them to account and punish them at the ballot box.
I disagree with Dippenhall in that whilst we do have different issues than our fathers, there are ways to fix things. One is to look a new system which distributes wealth more evenly. Not socialist or communist, but a more caring and controlled type of capitalism.
I would bring in a rule than the highest paid employees cannot get more than 6 times what the poorest paid get then gradually bring it down to 4, possibly 3. Why is this unthinkable when old infirm people having to work isnt? Of course there are difficulties, we live in a Global market. But we need to form alliances with others like us and fight against a battle to erode rights and conditions of workers. Where does it stop - slavery?
Dementia is in the news today - people can develop this illness in their 50s. what happens to them if they are supposed to work until they are 70? We are condemning people to poverty through no fault of their own, whilst the fat cats get fatter!
I'm not sure why the UK's two premier universities (ie. Oxbridge) are being lumped in with top private schools like Eton to demonstrate a point about not understanding the interests of Joe Public. There are thousands of extremely bright kids from working class backgrounds currently studying at the former, but virtually none being educated at the latter.
This is not to suggest the distribution of Oxbridge students exactly reflects the UK's demographics (the amount of private school-educated students is of course disproportionate) but entrance no longer represents the obstacles it did a couple of generations ago, and the trends continue to move in that direction.
Moreover Oxbridge students are by definition smart (even if in some cases only in very narrow fields), and I'm not sure why it should be seen as a bad thing for MPs to be smart given the complexity of most policy decisions, particularly at ministry level.
I understand your point and it might seem unfair to be picking on Oxbridge but the reality is that the vast majority of students going to Oxbridge come from elite private schools - but that's not the main point here.
People say things and other people believe it's true.
The last time I checked, 30-40% doesn't not constitute "the vast majority". And that's from all private schools not just the elite ones! So, Ormiston, you must have a different reality from me.
Bizarrely, it seems that hotbed of leftism, the LSE has around a third of students who were privately educated.
Comments
The point is that working class people in Stoke would not get near the job in the first place, those plumb seats are reserved for the Oxbridge set.
Labour HQ keeps a very tight rein on who gets the cream.
Mark Fisher (born 1944), Labour MP.
John Forrester (1924–2007), Labour MP.
David Kidney (born 1955), Labour MP.
George Stevenson (born 1938), Labour MP
Joan Walley (born 1949), Labour MP.
Also went to Eton! The things you learn via Charlton Life!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Fisher_(politician)
I think it is quite clear what path you need to tread to become a MP today.
A cynical view would be that an MPs expenses would pay for his minder, whereas his current employment, as lucrative as it is, would not. However he is a champion for disabled rights and probably thinks he would do a good job for them (and his constituents in general presumably) in Parliament.
I'd suggest that his disability - he calls himself a cripple - would preclude him from benefiting from the lucrative extra-curricular activities you mention.
I apologise for my cynical view above. I've always been passionate about my politics and wish that more of the country would actually get out and vote when they have the opportunity. Unfortunately, I don't have to think too hard about why they are disillusioned, given some of the antics of MPs in recent years and, to some extent, that explains my cynicism too.
For example, rather than accept that our children and grandchildren will not be able to pay for the pensions we have promised ourselves, we gripe about how unfair it is to have to work a bit longer. In 1948 few pensioners got past 75, today thousands get past 100, the system designed in 1948 is broke because that financial model means we should be drawing our pensions well after we reach 70. Our children can't afford our pensions but who is championing their interests until they can vote?
So we vote in governments who promise to make us richer even though we don't know how they will deliver and disbelieve anything that says we can't afford what we are "entitled" to. It takes politicians without conscience and without ethics to deliver in such a world, and this has been deliveredin full. What we need are politicians with vision and integrity, but they don't stand a chance today their messages would be drowned in a media overload of superficial twitter type noise and an audience expecting immediate gratification from as much of the nation's wealth as they can grab. In the stampede it is the deserving honest unfortunates who lose out.
Party A - Went to Eton & Oxford, only worked in politics
Party B -Went to Oxford, only worked in politics, plays the violin
Party C - Went to private school, then Cambridge, only ever worked in politics bar a bit at the European Commission
There is no one i can relate to, no one i feel will ever speak from either the heart or experience, and no one who has a single iota of interest of what is best for someone like me and my family.
This is not to suggest the distribution of Oxbridge students exactly reflects the UK's demographics (the amount of private school-educated students is of course disproportionate) but entrance no longer represents the obstacles it did a couple of generations ago, and the trends continue to move in that direction.
Moreover Oxbridge students are by definition smart (even if in some cases only in very narrow fields), and I'm not sure why it should be seen as a bad thing for MPs to be smart given the complexity of most policy decisions, particularly at ministry level.
Likewise democracy.
The point is that the Labour Party is supposed to be just that, a party formed by the workers that looks after the interests of working class people.
Therefore, how can its MPs really represent that section of society when they largely come from the middle-classes and have no more idea about what it is like to live on a council estate and work for 6 quid per hour in a factory than I do about astro physics?
To represent a group you have to know a group and if the Labour Party really and truly understood the needs of working class people in the way that they should then they would have spent a lot less time on issues like gay marriage (as worthy an idea as it is) and fox hunting and far more on addressing the core needs of its voters.
In particular, you only had to spend 10 minutes in the company of any working class Briton (particularly in the south east) from the early-to-mid 2000s to realize that immigration was becoming a massive, massive issue and a real problem for Labour's heartland working class voters.
What was the response from Brown and Blair? They buried their heads in the sand and labelled anyone who even wanted to have the debate as 'racist' and so on - not only could they not see the problem but they refused to acknowledge it anyway.
This is what I mean you see, on the issue of immigration Labour handled the issue in the way that suited its middle-class intelligentsia ruling classes - NOT the way that suited its real blue-collar working class supporters that were really having to deal with the fall out of massive immigration intakes.
It was only after losing the election and taking stock they realized that immigration had killed them in many of the core constituencies, so in order to not offend the Islington crowd they effectively sold their working class supporters down the river - an extraordinary state of affairs.
I am a lifelong Labour Party supporter but the way that the party has allowed itself to be so disconnected from its base is unbelievable, my working-class family in London feel very little in common with Labour these days because they no longer feel the party actually represents them or their interests.
The real Socialist Labour party only has a few MPs and they're always labelled as 'firebrands'. Can't help thinking the Country would be in a far better place with a real passionate left wing Labour leader or foaming at the mouth right wing Tory leader.
The only two Politicos with real spunk at the moment are Johnson and Farage. The rest all appear to be really wet, towing the political line figures. Even the likes of Clair Short, Jeremy Corbyn, and Diane Abbott are remarkably quiet at the moment.
Tories won't do it as they are far too cosy with them, Labour won't do it because the need to be seen as business friendly and the other lot are just glad to be along for the ride for a while.
I should have maybe added to my post that, as well as voting, people should get involved in politics at every level. Only then can we get a mixed representation of the populace and get people involved, but I know how hard it is to break what has become a clique stronger than anything even CL has...in any of the parties.
I am, however, a bad one to lead by example. I want the ideal of our politicians acting in the best interests of all of us. I just don't think there are enough good men and women doing it for those reasons in this (or probably any) country and even internal politics (in my own workplace) frustrate me.
I do think, as with all things eventually, that things work in cycles. The demographic changes in this country will eventually see some change in those who enter politics but, I suspect, unless this is at a mass level those who control party mechanics will come from the same groups you mention.
That manifests itself by people not voting but also by the fact that, depending on geography, you could stick a blue or red rosette on a pig and people would vote for it!
We get the politicians we deserve because we don't call them to account and punish them at the ballot box.
I would bring in a rule than the highest paid employees cannot get more than 6 times what the poorest paid get then gradually bring it down to 4, possibly 3. Why is this unthinkable when old infirm people having to work isnt? Of course there are difficulties, we live in a Global market. But we need to form alliances with others like us and fight against a battle to erode rights and conditions of workers. Where does it stop - slavery?
Dementia is in the news today - people can develop this illness in their 50s. what happens to them if they are supposed to work until they are 70? We are condemning people to poverty through no fault of their own, whilst the fat cats get fatter!
It seems, for Cambridge at least, the truth is around a third of students were privately educated and the percentage is falling year on year. I think the figure for Oxford is around 40%.
telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/10073788/Cambridge-admits-fewer-students-from-private-schools.html
The last time I checked, 30-40% doesn't not constitute "the vast majority". And that's from all private schools not just the elite ones! So, Ormiston, you must have a different reality from me.
Bizarrely, it seems that hotbed of leftism, the LSE has around a third of students who were privately educated.