Unkind comparisons

Michael Hargrave

It is plain to see that GB has come to government and finally to power, blinking in the sunlight having spent his formative years in a dark cupboard nurturing his vision for a socialist Britain based only on his study of history. Unfortunately he is unable to adapt his obsession that he is right with the factual and political reality of the world that we live in. He is not a detail man. Witness his jaunt to Jedda to suggest single handedly (no other world leaders) that the Middle East should help lower our fuel prices and invest some of their profits in our energy infrastructure.
This is a lost man.

David C

My memory is possibly playing tricks, but the Reform report echoes similar reports issued last year saying Social Mobility has decreased under this Labour
Government.
And, unless my memory is again playing tricks, the single most important act in promoting social equality was Margaret Thatcher selling council houses.
I believe the Government's reponse was to blame attitudes of those at the lower end of the social scale.

Victor, NW Kent

I cannot avoid suggesting that social mobility might be enhanced by establishing grammar schools in inner-city areas throughout England & Wales.

Please remember that several post-war Prime Ministers were educated at grammar schools. Today's candidates are all privately educated whatever party they represent.

Pre-empting Perry

But WHAT ELSE is the wretch left with but to dissemble?

The ‘Third Way’ (thank you to another writer elsewhere for reminding me of that ghastly term) and every other Noo-Lie-Bore ruse having failed, it’s back to the Old-Lie-Bore trick of blaming the previous Government.

Ah, - but, I hear, - how long before the previous occupant of No 10, - The Grinning Gambling Gabbler, - comes in for some stick?

I think we should prepare for post-emotional-stress-disorder counselling an’ stuff.

EyeSee

Thatcher allowed people to achieve their goals by removing the barriers to reward for work. To the chagrin of Labour, as its state control vision is of a totalitarian Britain. Brown is being particularly deceitful in this attack on Thatcher, as he relishes the lack of social mobility, it is a cornerstone on his vision of a dumbed down, compliant mass of people who unthinkingly follow government instruction. Actually, I don't think there is any aspect of life in Britain that New Labour has not destroyed.

kinglear

Social mobility? Brown and NuLabour have no reason to want it. The more oppressed the poor, the more reliant they are on Brown's incomprehensible handouts.

bob

Pointing out that Brown is deluded is not news to many of us.

Just look at his visit to Saudi, the man is bonkers.

Ed B

If I remember right wasn't it Mrs T who:

a) Sold off the council houses to their inhabitants, thus bringing the lower orders into the property owning classes.

b) Brought many non-grandee plebean types into her cabinet, the sort of people who bought their own furniture and would not have got a look in under previous administrations.

c) Handed over power to her chosen successor, the son of a garden gnome maker from Brixton.

She did much to increase social mobility - but it was the sort of mobility which had to be earned.

john miller

I remember bloody Thatcher as though it was only yesterday.

Missing child poverty targets 2 years in a row, the aggressive stance toward grammar schools and threatening to shut them down, putting millions on benefits and creating 90% marginal tax rates for them to ensure they stay on benefits, abolishing the 10 tax rate to plunge poorer people into poverty just to make her three second grandstand finish to her budget look good.

Err, wait, it was only yesterday wasn't it? It wasn't 20 years ago was it?

Oh, now I DO remember who has eradicated social mobility for the last 11 years...

Is there a more odious mental pygmy in power anywhere in the world? Crawl back under the stone Brown...

Alan Phillips

Your observation on the Brown use of " than in 1997" is something that does grate with the public. I wish that David Cameron would say akin to " and when does the record of half a generation become relivent? The Labour record of late is what Joe Public is living, its your financial policies, its your tax policies and its your spin that are affecting people-and not for the better" The sooner a GE is called the better, alas not soon enough one fears....

Water

Thanks Pete the report has some very interesting statistics finally some Bollinger for the brain.

"For individuals, it limits opportunities and levels of earnings – the estimated lifetime earnings premium for graduates compared to those with no skills is over £400,000".