sluttygran
" However, he observed that the higher echelon of the Beeb was peopled almost exclusively by those from a very advantaged background, with what might be regarded as ‘high Tory’ connections. "
I think you may find it is not Tory but Left Wing/Labour connections at the BBC. Irrespective of which why should the 'Social Class' be assumed as being a 'Tory ' domain?
Under the old bigoted class warfare what do you think should be done? What could happen ? What is the underlying purpose of knowing in truth?
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" He did not demand that everyone’s social class should be published, but felt that transparency was necessary to prevent any conflict of interests. "
Yes he did.
If this proposal was under the guise of ' transparency to prevent any conflict of interest ' ' then why not have to declare your political bias/allegiance, your sex/gender, your race etc?
Why Social Class is even relevant as proof of how biased something can be eludes me. It is like saying saying if you are from a certain social class you cannot and must not represent others, know your place, worst of all the smack of bigotry / class warfare is most worrying.
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" this could not happen within the corporation if the posts were only granted to applicants from the more exclusive public schools. "
Are you saying there are no journalists employed by the BBC that are NOT from public schools?
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" Having an advantaged background can have two outcomes; one can join the elite and try to exclude the less advantaged from the charmed circle, or like the great Tony Benn, you can use your education and influence to help the whole of society to have a better quality of life. That’s what Socialism is about. "
That is my point !!!!!!!
Only bigotry and class warfare thinks differently.