The Labour Government

[TinFoilHat]

My class is better than yours? Lol is this the 60s.

I know my place...

 

[TinFoilHat]

tbf, it’s a semi in Surrey!

I long for a semi at my age.

 

[MillionMilesAway]

Anything posher than a cardboard box in Doncaster means it couldn’t possibly house a working class family.

I'm grateful for the advice. I'd not have considered the Doncaster factor in my assessment.

 

[metalblue]

As I recall, the Labour Party constitution always spoke of workers 'by hand or brain'.

On that basis, you could be a Professor at Oxford and still be 'working class'. I don't recall any reference to employment status either. So I don't believe the self-employed were ruled out.

It's rather sad that this country is still obsessed by class in 2024. It's the root of many of our societal problems. It seems to spring from a very common desire to benchmark oneself against others. And, by the way, working-class snobbery exists too, and always has. The desire to look down on others is not restricted to any particular class.

The definition of working class is complex and means different things to different people. In its true sense you could say, as you’ve done, it’s anyone who works. Broadly it typically refers to unskilled labour these days, perhaps because the better educated/employed workers wanted to differentiate themselves - yet now we have a well educated PM who was/is desperate to be seen as working class.

I do tend to agree class is not a particularly meaningful reflection on our society these days and can create invisible barriers that people dare not cross or, in the case of some, want to sneer at from all sides. Values are perhaps more reflective of your position in societal norms but as with many things we don’t always act according to our perceived values when push comes to shove. I can’t see it changing though, it’s too ingrained in our national psyche.

 

[metalblue]

I long for a semi at my age.

That would make you wanking class

 

[mosssideblue]

That would make you wanking class

Not a Wanker? :)

 

[bluenova]

The definition of working class is complex and means different things to different people. In its true sense you could say, as you’ve done, it’s anyone who works. Broadly it typically refers to unskilled labour these days, perhaps because the better educated/employed workers wanted to differentiate themselves - yet now we have a well educated PM who was/is desperate to be seen as working class.

I do tend to agree class is not a particularly meaningful reflection on our society these days and can create invisible barriers that people dare not cross or, in the case of some, want to sneer at from all sides. Values are perhaps more reflective of your position in societal norms but as with many things we don’t always act according to our perceived values when push comes to shove. I can’t see it changing though, it’s too ingrained in our national psyche.

When Starmer first became leader, one of the big lines of attack was that Labour was being run by the "metropolitan elite", and "North London liberals".

We might all mock the working class stuff, but I bet it did a lot to prevent those lines of attack hitting home.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

I'm grateful for the advice. I'd not have considered the Doncaster factor in my assessment.

* Donny

 

[metalblue]

When Starmer first became leader, one of the big lines of attack was that Labour was being run by the "metropolitan elite", and "North London liberals".

We might all mock the working class stuff, but I bet it did a lot to prevent those lines of attack hitting home.

Quite possibly so, he also needed to appeal to the left of the party more so it will have made sense on a few levels.

 

[MillionMilesAway]

* Donny

Dammit, so much to remember!