Corbyn / BBC declare social class of employees?

GG13 for what it's worth I went to 2 primary schools in working class areas I too passed my 11 plus and went to Grammar school, but I became increasingly aware as I grew older of people with great ability who for one reason or another had not had the same education as me. Many of them acheived in later life by taking other routes for education. And I realised that the system that had benefitted me had done nothing for them. Their route had been longer and harder. I then realised a system was needed which gave every child the opportunity to access education and not to be branded a failure at 11, a comprehensive system.

There is increasing concern that senior positions in both the public and private sector are dominated by privately educated people, despite the fact that they only represent around 7% of the population.

Some extracts from a BBC News report of February 2016:

"Leading British actors are more than twice as likely as stars in the music industry to have attended fee-paying schools, the Sutton Trust says.

"The Sutton Trust suggested the successful state-funded BRIT school in Croydon, which counts Adele and Jessie J among its former pupils, may be one reason why the proportion of state-educated top music stars is higher.

"It also says professions like politics and the law continue to be dominated by privately educated Oxbridge graduates.

"Researchers for the Trust looked at the educational backgrounds of more than 1,200 people, working in high positions in medicine, the law, the military, journalism, politics, the civil service, business, film and pop music.

""The Trust said a child's chances of reaching the top still came down to their schooling and contacts.

"The government said the state sector was increasingly matching the private sector in terms of academic attainment."

The Mail Online reported in 2014:

"A major new study found that two thirds of state school pupils who achieved Bs and Cs at A-level went on to gain first or upper second class degrees - compared with just half of their private school peers."

It would therefore appear that the predominance of privately educated people in highly paid positions in the public and private sector is, as the Trust stated, down to a perceived notion that their schooling automatically makes them more suitable candidates for senior jobs, and to the networks of contacts that their private education provides access to.

is it right that virtually all our public bodies and commercial organisations are dominated by people from such a narrow milieu and shouldn't steps be taken to address this so that all of those who have the ability have the opportunity to achieve high office?

In part I agree with you Annie, I had no private tuition. Some parents will help their children themselves, some may pay for extra tuition, why should they not have the chance that those before them had?

Unfortunately as has been stated previously, life is not a level playing field, never has been and never will be. We all have a responsibility to do the best we can with whatever cards we have been dealt. Reality is harsh and I cannot see a solution coming from any of our current politicians whatever party.

I am just fearful of 'big brother' knowing all, and what will be done with this information.

Oops, misread your post. Apologies!

Trisher you had free access to healthcare, education, and the opportunity to progress in life

I was born in 1949. When I was at school, everyone sat the 11+ and a minority progressed to grammar school. The majority went to secondary modern schools, their academic education effectively over.
Of those who did go to grammar schools, a small proportion went on to higher education.

Are you really telling me that young people today have fewer opportunities than the majority did in the 50’s and 60’s?

Doversole I challenge your statement. Please provide evidence of this,

Children whose parents pay for extra tuition are far more likely to gain a place in grammer school

trisher, I went to 3 different primary schools, in various parts of East London. My way out of poverty was passing my 11+ and going to grammar School.

I am all for Grammar Schools.

JenniferEccles the labour party believe in Comprehensive education, and Grammar schools do not do the things you claim.
There are ten times as many grammar schools in the most deprived areas than in the least. However, even where schools are located in deprived areas, they tend to take more pupils from the least deprived areas.
In 2013, a Sutton Trust study demonstrated that in selective local authorities, more prosperous students of the same prior attainment as students on free school meals are more likely to gain access to grammar schools. It also found that 12.7% entrance to grammar schools came from primary schools in the independent sector.
www.stoneking.co.uk/literature/e-bulletins/some-facts-about-grammar-schools

Jennifer, a lot of the schools that used to be direct grant grammars have become private schools, and are now completely out of reach unless you have the dosh to pay. How is it progress for those schools to be no longer accessible to low income families?

I hope that our house will never have to be sold for care costs and that it will one day be sold and that the inheritance shared between my DC to enable them to move to a larger house to suit their needs or indeed to purchase a house, perhaps for the first time.
I do not know why the Government should be entitled to take 40% of whatever wealth I have to leave to my DC when I have dutifully paid taxes all my life on all earnings, purchases, etc etc.

Jalima I agree with regard to inheritance tax. What we have earned and managed to save has been heavily taxed, and I do not see why my hard working AC should have to pay tax again (especially on their family home)

If you read my post trisha, you would have noticed that I think the working poor and those on benefits for health and mobility reasons do need help and should be a priority whatever government is in power.

My problem with Corbyns Labour Party is that if he puts up taxes for business (corporation tax and VAT) to the extent that companies stop investing in their workforce this will have a knock on effect to employment and taxes /NI raised from workers. Which in turn leads to less money in circulation. Which in turn hurts the High Street, small businesses and the economy in general. He also has ideas for taking back privatised companies into public/government ownership, which would be paid for out of our taxes. (I might add that I was and still am against the majority of utility privatisation)

For the first time in my voting life I have no idea who I would vote for. Both major parties are in turmoil. My local MP is fabulous on all levels, so,should I just go with that or the overall picture.

I am not against the changes in inheritance tax mcem - because the younger generation will benefit from those changes which will help them to purchase property and to do their best for the next generation.

Any money saved which may be passed on has had tax paid on it in many different ways.
It's those evading tax where the blame is due imo.

jalima I agree that no-one is arguing that we shouldn't maintain these benefits but my point is that credit is not being given to those who achieved them and blame is not being heaped on those who are destroying them.

There is also an ever increasing complacency (as illustrated on GN).
Think of how many posts have rejoiced in the fact that increasing amounts of the family wealth can be passed on thanks to changes in inheritance tax linked to the 'de'il tak' the hindmost' attitude we so often see.

Ah yes grammar schools. WHY on earth does the Labour party hate them so much when it was bright children from poor families who benefitted most from them ?

The best education money can't buy.

light the blue touch paper...

'pulling up the ladder'...
Do you you mean things like getting rid of direct grant grammar schools, like the labour party did?

And since I have it in front of me, another on How Totalitarianism arrives which illustrates an earlier post of mine on the creeping normalisation of attitudes until things are commonplace which would previously have been completely unacceptable to everyone.

Good post, Elegran, pointing out the dangers of a Big Brother State.

No-one is arguing against maintaining those social benefits which we enjoyed.

The data is already being collected Elegran but by marketing companies and other organisations not necessarily the state. And a certain amount of information has always been held by the state, that's why we have a census and the form about ethnic origins. If you want not to be part of that you would need to cease communicating and using technology

An article in the New York Review of books describing the anti-semitism crisis in the Labour Party as "a ruinous proxy for what is, in its essence, a struggle between social-democrats and socialists for the soul of the party."

Behind the Anti-Semitism Crisis of Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party

Isn't it wonderful that we've grown up and prospered in our welfare state - nhs, education, freedom of worship, etc?
Now let's pull up the ladder so that the upcoming generations can't!

Nhs being sold off, housing crisis, education funding cut to the bone, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia on the increase.

Now remind me when left/ right wing governments were in charge.

Excellent post elegran.
(At least in Scotland some aspirations and achievements have survived so far.)

Maybe we should introduce the McCarthy questions again "Are you or have you ever been a member of the communist party"

Isn't that what Corbyn wants to do with BBC employees?

However, in his case the answer 'Yes' would probably mean approval.

Ooo Reds under the beds again! Maybe we should introduce the McCarthy questions again "Are you or have you ever been a member of the communist party". Or maybe you should just leave your suppositions in the 1930s where they belong.