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Article: Hogg's class act. (UK Tory party member and agriculture secretary, Douglas Hogg)(Bagehot)(Column)
- Article from:
- The Economist (US)
- Article date:
- June 29, 1996
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1996 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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IN WHICH of Britain's parliamentary parties does the class war still rage? The answer used to be the Labour Party, where middle class intellectuals fought for mastery with horny-handed sons of toil. In today's Labour Party, however, few MPs are themselves sons of toil (though many are the sons of sons of toil). Even John Prescott, the deputy leader who did once work with his hands, admits he is middle class.
If you want to find class hatred today, you have to look to the Tories. The meritocrats have had a good couple of decades in the party, providing both its leaders, Margaret Thatcher and John Major, and most of its striking figures. But the old guard has never ...