I thought the Labour party was meant to be the political party for and of the 'woking class'

Norah

I thought working class meant those in manual labor.

Perhaps lack of education qualifications, job insecurity, lack of savings, economically precarious position -- would be part to a current definition.

1st paragraph . So did I.
But they earn more than many others now. In my opinion.

2nd paragraph - yes that might be better.

Anniebach

AJ’s father walked away from the family when Alan was very young. His Mum had to bring up him and his sister alone in

Quote Primrose53 Sun 07-Sept-25 13:11:55

slum housing with no support from the father. She became very ill and eventually died when Alan was about 12. His sister brought him up even though she was still a child herself but she did not want him to go into care. A social worker eventually found them better accommodation and their lives improved a bit. He credits his sister in all his memoirs with bringing him up and making him the man he became.

Yes, Angela Rayner didn’t have an older sibling, it all fell on her

She was on benefits though unlike AJ family. I believe his Mother worked 3 jobs to support them.

Angela Rayner had sooo much to say about colleagues who cheated, shouted it at the party conference and was in her element. Doesn’t matter to me which party she is in, what matters to me is you need to be squeaky clean yourself before takeing the moral high ground about others. People do it and it never ceases to amaze me how they blank out their own behaviour. She’s the latest in double standards. Nothing to do with working class, female, single mother etc. it’s to do with hypocrisy and she’s definitely due an award for that.

woodenspoon

I think Emily Thornbury is attempting to make a comeback. Who could forget her comments on white van man not so long ago.

what did she say?

I thought working class meant those in manual labor.

Perhaps lack of education qualifications, job insecurity, lack of savings, economically precarious position -- would be part to a current definition.

I think Emily Thornbury is attempting to make a comeback. Who could forget her comments on white van man not so long ago.

We have always had people round for dinner, and gone to friends for dinner.

Were they dinner parties ? Just food with friends, lots of wine, chat and laughter.

Bibedybop I tend to think the ‘class’ issue relates more to how people live their lives rather than how much money they have. As a working class person myself I have never been invited to a dinner party, which imo is very much a middle class cultural thing.

I thought those of all classes had people round to dinner.

Same with me TerriBull,

Yes this exactly and holding that view doesn't mean I am a misogynist or an elitist. I thought she was doing some good things in housing but I am relieved she resigned and it didn't drag on.

Absolutely correct TerriBull
I like the way AR changed her life, against the odds. It doesn’t mean I believe she should be let off the hook for not being thorough about tax and trusts

I think Andrew Rawnsley in today's Observer is accurate in his assertion that her departure has threatened to bring Labour's anxieties to the boil.

In this article he quotes Sir Laurie Magnus's (The PM's Independent Advisor on Ministers' Interests) in praise for Ms Rayner but nevertheless pointed out "she should have taken more care to be sure that she paid the correct amount of stamp duty on her flat purchase and her failure to do so was unequivocally a breach of the ministerial code.

"I have huge sympathy for Angela but she had to go" says one cabinet member close to the PM. Sir Keir had pledged a tougher standards regime and to be merciless in the removal of ministers, however mighty or popular, who transgressed. He could either stick to that pledge or start becoming a version of Boris Johnson with a neater haircut. He chose to be "Mr Rules"

So that says it all really, it's not about the baby at 16, the green trouser suit, vaping in an inflatable, a visible tattoo, or as one poster suggested, " the right wing objecting to the likes of her buying a second home" It's none of that as far as I'm concerned, I'm all for our politicians coming from working class backgrounds, who would and should have more resonance to a huge swathe of the electorate. Give me an Alan Johnson any day of the week over the smacked arse faced Eton/Oxbridge/Political Adviser ascending the conferred trajectory to the position of PM, because "I'm worth it and I was born to do it", attitudes typified by other demographics who we've had inflicted on us. It's about the fact that the people who we have been elected to preside over us whatever background they've emanated from, need to play by the rules, their own rules, otherwise how can they sit in judgement on the rest of us.

And Alan Johnson’s life before his mother died was more stable than was Angela Rayner’s. I’m a big admirer of Johnson and his sister as well as the social worker who bent rules to keep them together

AJ’s father walked away from the family when Alan was very young. His Mum had to bring up him and his sister alone in

Quote Primrose53 Sun 07-Sept-25 13:11:55

slum housing with no support from the father. She became very ill and eventually died when Alan was about 12. His sister brought him up even though she was still a child herself but she did not want him to go into care. A social worker eventually found them better accommodation and their lives improved a bit. He credits his sister in all his memoirs with bringing him up and making him the man he became.

Yes, Angela Rayner didn’t have an older sibling, it all fell on her

Galaxy —— LUXURY. 🍴🍽️🤣

I don't even have a table

Oreo

Are you on the wrong thread Crossstitchfan ?😁

Probably! My addled brain does go on strike sometimes! Now all I need to know is how to transfer my complimentary comment onto the proper thread without having to write it all out again!
Sorry, and thanks for letting me know.

I've never had a dinner party or been to one in my life. I actually couldn't think of anything worse

I don't even have any best china or silver ware.

Anniebach

Angela Rayner, Alan Johnson, Nye Bevan were supported by
Unions as were other Labour MP’s.

Angela Rayner is female yes ? heaven knows how many MP’s had sex in early teens, Angela was pregnant! ! ! it happens to girls , Angela has been judged much harsher than any male MP

Alan Johnson, his parents died he then lived with his sister, Angela was a carer for her mother,

AJ’s father walked away from the family when Alan was very young. His Mum had to bring up him and his sister alone in slum housing with no support from the father. She became very ill and eventually died when Alan was about 12. His sister brought him up even though she was still a child herself but she did not want him to go into care. A social worker eventually found them better accommodation and their lives improved a bit. He credits his sister in all his memoirs with bringing him up and making him the man he became.

Looking at the statistics Parliament as a whole has fallen into the hands of London based lawyers and professional political workers, whose contact or knowledge of life outside the bubble is minimal

Isn't that what made Angela Rayner so remarkable in this day and age?

Most of the criticism aimed at her was purely because she was female, working class and Northern though

I'm disappointed she has done this though

The Labour party originally didn't want women to have the vote, as they felt it would weaken working class men's rights and the Conservative party originally only wanted middle class and upper class women to have the vote.

MOnica Angela Rayner had a baby when age 16, you accept this is
so “working class”, it was said on GransNet “she was dragged up” for some a difficult childhood and pregnancy at 16 belongs to the working class, you believe all Labour Mp’s should not have university education ?

Allira

^As a working class person myself I have never been invited to a dinner party which imo is very much a middle class cultural thing.^
Oh!

But aren't we all middle-class now?
Quote from Lord Prescott

What is a dinner party? If a friend comes round and stays for a meal, Is that a dinner party?

It used to mean a formal meal with everyone dressed up and all the best china and glass out. That sort of dinner party, except in political and royal circles, went out in the 1970s.

I mean, even Samantha Cameron, talked about having 'kitchen suppers' as their way of entertaining, even when David Cameron was Prime Minister.

eazybee

It is Angela Rayner who has gone on, incessantly, about her deprived childhood, her working class background and her struggle as a single mother. A small point, but her profile now claims that her relationship with the father of her first child lasted from 1995 to 2005, not walking out on her 18th birthday as has been claimed in the past, (and no, I cannot give a reference.) Her meteoric rise was fuelled by the Unions, and her own conduct which has blown it.

I don't think a political party should be considered to represent mainly one section of the population. That was how it originated, but the fact that many Labour MPs do not work in low paid manual jobs is surely an example of equality of opportunity which they supported, so that people of ability may move on to professional occupations should they wish.

There used to be many ex army, and business people who were experienced in running organisations in difficult times; now many come from studying politics at university to working as a political aide, some limited experience as a local councillor and then standing as an MP.
But a party expected to represent only one section of the population is regressive.
There is nothing wrong with being middle class, despite the fact that most people of all classes work to support themselves throughout life.

Excellent post

fancythat

I have trouble with the concept of working class nowadays.

Around here anyway, plumbers and traddies earn far more per hour than someone being a radiographer or something else in hospitals, or a teaching assistant etc.

Or are they all "working class"?

This is why I always put quotes round the phrase. I think it a nnsensical phrase, anyone who depends on working for their living is'working class'. This includes degree toting people like ma nad my family, as well as those who are uneducated labourers.

Salary levels have never decided socio economic group. It has always been occupation.

It is just it really bothered me to listen to everyone saying how remarkable it was that a Labour party minister came from a poor and difficult background, when she represents the very people who established and lead the Labour party from its inception until - Jim Callaghan.

Looking atthe statistics Parliament as a whole has fallen into the hands of London based lawyers and professional political workers, whose contact or knowledge of life outside the bubble is minimal and as they play their little games with the economy and our lives, the state of life in the UK has declined.