Class: The old school ties that bind

Britain’s class system is rigid and incomprehensible – and education keeps it that way. Why do so many of us think we’re working class when we’re not? Why do we still believe in making it through hard work, yet hate social climbers?

After the War, we told ourselves we were on the way towards a classless society. Ros Taylor talks to people as diverse as campaigner and educationalist Melissa Benn and class commentator Peter York to find that decades of meddling with education and work only entrenched class power. How do we get out of the class trap?

• “The top universities say that anyone can get in if you’re good enough… The problem is, you might not realise it unless you’ve been to the right kind of schools.” – Ros Taylor
• “There’s British plutocracy and British poshocracy… but in Belgravia you will find precious few British achievers.” – Peter York
• “The freedoms that academies were promised don’t really exist now… the whole thing was a hugely expensive time and energy trap.” – Fiona Millar
• “Should we stop talking about the Upper Classes at all and be honest about who really holds wealth and power in Britain?” – Ros Taylor

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Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Produced by Jade Bailey. Voiceovers by Imogen Robertson. Original music by Dubstar. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Jam Tomorrow is a Podmasters production.

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