The political Left in this country has, almost without a murmur, lurched dramatically to - the Establishment. Perhaps not the part of the Establishment which includes Old Etonians, elderly judges, members of Polo clubs and afficionados of the Henley Regatta, but the Establishment is a broad church. One of its congregations comprises media professionals, successful entertainers, 'spokespeople' for this and that minority, lobbyists for the ever-growing list of fashionable genders, the clergy of the Church of England, almost to a woman and, of course, the omnipotent men and women who lead Britain's trade unions. Those who sit on this side of the Establishment aisle are indistinguishable from those on the other side, certainly in terms of their affluence.
So these folk can be characterised by the wonderful phrase from the hymn All Things Bright and Beautiful' - 'the rich man in his castle'. So who lines up behind 'the poor man at his gate'? And who represents him?
There was a time when the natural home for the British working class was the Labour Party. This was the party of Aneurin Bevan, and other passionate men and women. Clement Attlee? He was certainly an underrated and under-estimated politician, but he was a compassionate member of the upper classes, who chose to use his education and his learning to benefit those who had neither.
It has been a common cry over the last few days that those who had the temerity to vote to leave the EU were possessed of any combination of the following devils.
- Blind ignorance
- Racism
- Economic illiteracy
- Bigotry
- Being old
- Xenophobia
- Hate crime
- Selfishness
The simple truth is that the Establishment Left have no time for you. You don't fit their image of a 21st century Social Justice Warrior. Heavens, you may even shop at ALDI or, even worse, at LIDL.
When you are woken up by the noisy activities of the twelve single men from Eastern Europe who occupy the house next door, you probably fail to recognise the cultural enrichment they are bringing to your community.
You may even have been observed talking in a negative fashion about the diversity and cultural variety brought to many communities across the land by groups of Pakistani men and their innovative approach to personal relationships. And yes, I DO realise that these men have nothing to do with the EU. But the fact that the Leftist Establishment tolerates them and their obscene behaviour is just another part of the same problem.
Perhaps the old Working Class no longer exists. My mother and father were from humble backgrounds, but they wanted better. They didn't rejoice in their lowly upbringings, but battled to educate themselves so that they could move on. For them, upward mobility was not the subject of some smug, middle-class, satirical sitcom, but an worthwhile aspiration. They might not have made it, but they sweated blood to make sure that I did.
So what do we make of such charlatans as Polly Toynbee and Owen Jones? Both are the product of comfortable and affluent homes. No crime there, but neither would know a working class home, or upbringing if it were presented to them on a tray at an Islington drinks party. Still, they feel qualified to pour scorn on the millions of ordinary men and women across Britain who voted to leave the EU. Mock on, then - but perhaps your tenure inside the warm fold of Britain's establishment may yet rebound on you.
