This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/nov/22/england-football-team-may-miss-out-on-working-class-talent-says-mp
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| England football team 'may miss out on talent from working class' – MP | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| England’s football team may be missing out on talent because a disproportionately high number of the squad went to private schools, a Labour MP has claimed. | England’s football team may be missing out on talent because a disproportionately high number of the squad went to private schools, a Labour MP has claimed. |
| Stella Creasy, a former deputy leadership contender and ex-shadow business minister, made the argument in a House of Commons debate about education and social mobility. | Stella Creasy, a former deputy leadership contender and ex-shadow business minister, made the argument in a House of Commons debate about education and social mobility. |
| She highlighted research showing that 13% of the squad were privately educated, which is twice the national percentage of children who go to private schools. | She highlighted research showing that 13% of the squad were privately educated, which is twice the national percentage of children who go to private schools. |
| After John Redwood, a Conservative former cabinet minister, cited football as a sphere where there is a high degree of opportunity for players from poorer backgrounds, Creasy intervened to say: “Does the right honourable gentleman think that that might account for the performance of our national football team, and that we might be missing out on the talent that exists in the comprehensive sector? | After John Redwood, a Conservative former cabinet minister, cited football as a sphere where there is a high degree of opportunity for players from poorer backgrounds, Creasy intervened to say: “Does the right honourable gentleman think that that might account for the performance of our national football team, and that we might be missing out on the talent that exists in the comprehensive sector? |
| “Does he not recognise that that is precisely the problem that we are discussing today? We are missing out on talent as a result of too narrow a focus.” | “Does he not recognise that that is precisely the problem that we are discussing today? We are missing out on talent as a result of too narrow a focus.” |
| Creasy was referring to figures mentioned in the Social Mobility Commission’s Elitist Britain report, which were compiled by the Sutton Trust in 2014. They showed that three out of 23 members of an England squad in 2014 – Frank Lampard, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Fraser Forster – went to independent schools. | Creasy was referring to figures mentioned in the Social Mobility Commission’s Elitist Britain report, which were compiled by the Sutton Trust in 2014. They showed that three out of 23 members of an England squad in 2014 – Frank Lampard, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Fraser Forster – went to independent schools. |
| The comments provoked some criticism on Twitter and Redwood accused her of being “obtuse”. | The comments provoked some criticism on Twitter and Redwood accused her of being “obtuse”. |
| The Labour MP told the Guardian: “It is not to say public school people cannot play sport. It is simply to say a team might be missing out on people. | The Labour MP told the Guardian: “It is not to say public school people cannot play sport. It is simply to say a team might be missing out on people. |
| “People get it about academia or within medicine or parliament or judiciary or the law but these trends are in other areas well. It’s saying the majority of the football team are comprehensively educated but even within that there is this issue of representation. | “People get it about academia or within medicine or parliament or judiciary or the law but these trends are in other areas well. It’s saying the majority of the football team are comprehensively educated but even within that there is this issue of representation. |
| “I was challenging John Redwood on the use of football as an example because the evidence from the Social Mobility Commission suggests it is a lot more mixed than that. In a debate on social mobility, evidence matters.” | “I was challenging John Redwood on the use of football as an example because the evidence from the Social Mobility Commission suggests it is a lot more mixed than that. In a debate on social mobility, evidence matters.” |
| Later in the debate, Creasy added: “Education too often drives outcomes, and money and privilege have a big hand in that and many members today have already set out how. | Later in the debate, Creasy added: “Education too often drives outcomes, and money and privilege have a big hand in that and many members today have already set out how. |
| “That isn’t just about academic talent, it’s about creative talent as well, where the same patterns are clear in acting, in sport, with the possible exception of music. | “That isn’t just about academic talent, it’s about creative talent as well, where the same patterns are clear in acting, in sport, with the possible exception of music. |
| “But surely our answer to those young bright children cannot be that we think they should go on the X Factor, because actually we know our young people have the X factor.” | “But surely our answer to those young bright children cannot be that we think they should go on the X Factor, because actually we know our young people have the X factor.” |