Bookshop Barnie with Peter Hitchens: A Revolution Betrayed

Recorded at the Battle of Ideas festival 2023 on Sunday 29 October at Church House, London.

ORIGINAL INTRODUCTION

In his latest book, A Revolution Betrayed: How egalitarians wrecked the British education system, Peter Hitchens describes the misjudgements made by politicians over the years that have led to the increase in class distinction and privilege in our education system, exploring the history of, and contemporary conditions at, independent, grammar and comprehensive schools. He argues that by trying to bring about an educational system which is egalitarian over the years, politicians have created a system which is the exact opposite.

A review for the Higher Education Policy Institute says that the book celebrates an ‘out-of-time world (that) I am deeply thankful not to inhabit’. The Spectator review says that this is a history book with a ‘bee in its bonnet’. The far from impartial website Comprehensive Future considers that Hitchens cannot ‘offer any personal experience of grammar schools, having been educated entirely in private schools’.

This session is an opportunity to critically engage with the issues raised in A Revolution Betrayed in an open, honest and intelligent setting. Sit up straight and pay attention!

SPEAKER
Peter Hitchens
columnist, The Mail on Sunday; author, A Revolution Betrayed: how egalitarians wrecked the British education system

CHAIR
Austin Williams
director, Future Cities Project; honorary research fellow, XJTLU, Suzhou, China; author, China’s Urban Revolution; convenor, Critical Subjects Architecture School