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How many British Prime Ministers have lived exclusively on earnings from wage labour?

Well, it is a definition.

Ah, ok, sorry. Thought it was a bit random :)

That's a little harsh, don't you think? I'm not sure where you detected classism or what you think is drivel.

It's hard to come up with an objective definition. As @Machiavelli suggested, many would say anyone dependent on selling their labour is working class. Others would argue it's tied to education. Some academics would argue it's up to the individual to self-define...

I totally agree. To me it's laughable that people earning way, way above the average are struggling to make ends meet.

That's the thing. People adjust their expenditure as their salary increases and leave themselves a little stretched, hence people on 80-100k saying times are tough.

Well, if there were no private or grammar schools they wouldn't have that option. Then the focus would be on ensuring the disparities between the good and not-so-good state schools are not too great. Of course, as you say, we'd also need to tackle the root issues, not just in education but...

That's my point. Why does parental wealth or "aspiration" dictate a child's education?

I'm not sure the 5-year-olds we're segregating have "different aspirations".

It wouldn't be an overnight fix but the long term benefits are huge. Having a 2-tier system is just wrong, with vast swathes of society living in different bubbles from birth. It's never going to happen as there isn't the political will but we can dream.

Why would they all be bad? Finland did away with fee-paying schools in the 70s and have a world-renowned education system. I fully agree with your point about class sizes. That of course would necessitate massive investment.

Sorry, what's your argument in favour of segregating children based on the wealth of their parents? What benefits does it bring to society at large?

I imagine that if those with the reins of powers had to send their own offspring to state schools, standards would be raised across the board. I see myriad benefits and no drawbacks of getting rid of institutions that entrench division in society. If I were PM, it'd be the first thing I did.

I guess for alliteration's sake.

Wouldn't it be amazing if private schools were abolished.

But don't you think austerity measures may have caused an increase in shit diets? IN developed countries, poverty and poor diet go hand in hand.

What is it, in tour opinion, that makes these British parents more feckless than their European counterparts?

I'm certainly not just blaming the parents. My post was responding to @beorhthelm It's a complex issue. Money is obviously crucial, hence kids in the poorest areas being significantly shorter than their wealthier peers. It's not just buying the ingredients but also the electricity needed to...

I'm not sure of the relevance of the NHS cuts but clearly this issue is not just that British kids are getting comparatively shorter due their feckless parents.