Them and us - why posh Tories who claim to care about social mobility haven't got a clue

[breadandbutterfly]

...and are patronising bastards to boot.

See:

www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/apr/09/social-mobility-suzanne-moore

Esp enjoy the comment at 9 April 2011 9:32AM -

"The Camerons know how to 'work' their connections, too. David Cameron got his first job as a researcher for Tim Rathbone, his godfather and Conservative MP for Lewes.

Three months later he went to Hong Kong to work at the conglomerate Jardine Matheson - Daddy was stockbroker to the chairman, providing a fast-track into the business world.

When the young Cameron was due to attend a job interview at Conservative Central Office, a phone call was received from Buckingham Palace. "I understand you are to see David Cameron," said the caller. "I am ringing to tell you that you are about to meet a truly remarkable young man."

It has been speculated that the mystery call was from Captain Sir Alastair Aird, Equerry to the Queen Mother and husband of Cameron's godmother. The Airds vigorously denied it. Others have suggested the caller might have been Sir Brian McGrath, a family friend who was private secretary to Prince Philip. But he, too, though named as a referee for the job, denies it firmly".

You couldn't make it up could you? They're all in it together.
"

Quite right - I think their "reality" is so far removed from ours that people find it hard to believe.
Surely they know by now that "social mobility" is perhaps not the best topic they should bring up?
Unfortunatly though, nearly all our politicians regardless of party have had a leg-up somewhere along the line....in a way they are all hypocrites

What really disproves their claims about social mobility is this:

My cousin is a doctor. His parents are working class and he became a doctor. Last week my son said he wants to be a doctor. With £9000 per year tuition fees, it will cost him £45,000 before he buys a book. God knows how much more it will cost by the time he leaves school. So I am hoping that he will change his mind because unless I win the lottery he has no hope.

If Mr Cameron really wants social mobility he would make university affordable.

DianeTheDiabolist

You do realise he won't pay back until he finishes, right? You only start repayments after graduation, and only when your salary is above £21000.

course they don't want social mobility when they're all doing quite nicely with the status quo, ta very much

ds (13) keeps telling me that he doesn't want to go to college, as he fears debt. This view, I understand, is pretty prevalent amongst his mates at his inner city comp

my argument is that 'that's what they want you to think, son. So that universities become the preserve of the upper middles and uppers once more, the way things used to be.'

Oh I do realise that. However, it is seriously off putting (in social mobility terms) to want to start adult life with more than £45,000 of debt (£45K for tuition only, more will be borrowed for books and living expenses). What if he didn't pass, what if he didn't finish. Maybe it wouldn't put others off, but I can tell you now, most working class kids and parents would be pooing their pants at the thought of that much debt.

Really high tuition fees impede social mobility.

I personally would prefer to go back to only 15%-20% of people going to universities, and student fees staying relatively low.

However, given that we have such a ridiculous proportion going to university, it is unrealistic to expect large state funding. The people who will benefit from university should pay for it, in one form or another. This capped graduate tax does that quite effectively.

DTD, what if he does pass and the bastard Tories have screwed up the NHS as they intend to do and there is no job for him.

The Tories dont want social mobility they want to keep their ill gotten gains for themselves and their greedy scumfilth friends boardroom mates

LFN as long as that 15%-20% does not include any public school pupils.

Second thoughts, if you have the grades then you have the right to a place at university.

Well longfingernails, looks like you're going to get your wish as only earners in the top 15-20% of the populations will be able to afford to send their kids to university.

The intelligent, able working class kids can stay in their place: the working class.

Do the Tories claim to care about social mobility?

It's not exactly a pillar of party policy; don't think anyone joins the Conservative party because they have a burning desire for social justice..!

don't think anyone joins the Conservative party because they have a burning desire for social justice..!

A group of swivel eyed, xenophobic, selfish, class ridden people at best.

The Tories by their very policies, manifestos everything they stand for DO NOT want social mobility at all, it's laughable to say the least, but equally neither do any other mainstream political party.
If people started to open their eyes to how the system works as Henry Ford famously said, there would be rioting in the streets by morning.

C&P

It's the bottom 10% who suffer most, the next 10% next and so on: it's regressive. Taking the low paid out of tax sounds generous ? but that £200 a year is overwhelmed by the average family's extra £450 in VAT. Add in frozen child benefit and public sector pay, then add the more devastating cuts ? 10% cut in childcare support worth an average £780, lost EMA worth £30 a week or the £500 cut for new mothers. Austerity babies born from this month lose £1,783 in their first year.

So much for the Tories social mobility

Of course conservatives (as a movement - if not always the Tory party itself) care about social mobility.

Why do you people vote Tory?

Thatcher created millions of working-class Tories. She made it possible for them to bought their own council house, and went on foreign holidays for the first time. For the first time, thanks to Thatcher and capitalism, they could see a better future for their children than they had themselves.

Sorry - that middle paragraph should be:

Why do you think people vote Tory?

And went on foreign holidays for the first time, not if that snob Letwin has his way or does that only apply to Sheffield

For the first time, thanks to Thatcher and capitalism, they could see a better future for their children than they had themselves.

I dont agree regarding Thatcher but it is certain that no one could apply that to this government.

LFN I think people vote Tory because they are selfish and unintelligent.

Conservative: Not liking or trusting change, especially sudden change.
Social mobility = change.

longfingernails, in the 80's the working classes in many countries were able to afford foreign holidays, which leads me to believe that Thatcher was not responsible. Yes many bought their council houses leading to a deficit of social housing today.

I'm not sure what Thatcher and the 80s has to do with social mobility being eroded by the current government's policies though.

minieggfan you forgot about the gullible who fell for the lies.

There is one shred of hope in this:

The Tories failed to win the election even though we were in the grip of a major recession, had a very unpopular sitting Prime Minister, most of the press on their side.

This is a one shot government I just hope the damage they intend to do to society can be repaired

I agree with longfingernails. Only people from the top income brackets really benefit from university education. Raising tuition fees will help eliminate unnecessary competition.

the tories spend more on a meal than the average pensioner has to live on in a week , and we are all in this together they say, they do not have a clue how the average person lives week to week .

Nepkoztasasag, what do you mean? All classes, indeed society as a whole benefits from the best people being able to access university education. You say raising tuition fees will help eliminate unnecessary competition, what in the form of working class kids getting places?

DTD, I think (or sincerely hope) s/he was being sarcastic in reply to LFN.

It is fair enough to judge the Coalition's approach to social mobility by analysing its policies, but not by condemning the background and upbringing of its members.

People are allowed to change their views over several decades, and who can honestly say that they would not seek to benefit in such a way if they were lucky enough to have the connections? Networking is a fact of life across all classes, and my very working class father was instrumental in getting me my first job.

They will only be hypocrites if they seek the same privilege for their own children when the time comes.