It's interesting. I'd say that the Eton/Oxbridge background has the advantages in creating access a network of powerful people (fellow students parentrs, aunts and uncles, etc) and, perhaps more importantly, engendering a sense of entitlement. Maybe it's changed now, but at one time I believe public/private schools were better at emphasising the importance of extra curricular activities: Johnson's success in part must be due to his membership of debating societies at Eton and Oxford; my state comprehensive emphasised academic results (which, true, did help me move from a working/middle class family into a reasonably comfortable middle class status, if such classes still apply.) but had limited resources for othger activities. Like it or not, a residual class system is still strong - it might be the 21C but some areas of the City wouldn't be out of place in an episode of upstairs, downstairs. One wonders whether Johnson appointed Javid and Patel purely on their abilities or to deliberately have some non public school, non Oxbridge members for appearances? Whether I like or agree with him, Javis's ability seems fairly sound; Patel with her PR background and rather dubious meetings with foreign countries behind May's back seems slightly moire suspect - while the appointment of Jo Johnson, who keeps flip/flopping between remain and leave, looks very much like nepotism ...
Michael Ixer ● 2665d