In response to, Chris McGovern: Our bright kids from poor areas need grammar schools to give them a real chance in life, Alan wrote:
Chris, you miss the real reason for the demise of grammars: both party leaders (Wilson & Heath) were grammar school boys .The oiks were starting to take over. Crosland and Williams couldn’t have that (both of them privately educated, of course). So they got rid of the grammars. And we are back to the status quo ante with front benches stuffed with posh, privately educated, scions of privilege, just like The Guardian and the BBC. Which goes a long way to explaining the mess we’re in.