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| Which class is John Prescott? | Which class is John Prescott? |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Signing copies of his autobiography at Asda in Hull | Signing copies of his autobiography at Asda in Hull |
| By Amanda Blue Producer, Prescott: The Class System and Me A working class lad made good. A driver of Jags who joined the political establishment. Accused by his father of abandoning his roots. But chippy around the middle and upper classes. Where does the former deputy prime minister fit in? | By Amanda Blue Producer, Prescott: The Class System and Me A working class lad made good. A driver of Jags who joined the political establishment. Accused by his father of abandoning his roots. But chippy around the middle and upper classes. Where does the former deputy prime minister fit in? |
| John Prescott has been obsessed with class his whole life. His meteoric rise from working class lad and 11-plus failure to deputy prime minister means his is an extraordinary journey through the British class system. All I said was that John is working class. He is the grandson of a miner and the son of a railwayman. But he thinks he's middle class and took exception John Prescott Snr, after his son said 'we're all middle class now' in 1997 | John Prescott has been obsessed with class his whole life. His meteoric rise from working class lad and 11-plus failure to deputy prime minister means his is an extraordinary journey through the British class system. All I said was that John is working class. He is the grandson of a miner and the son of a railwayman. But he thinks he's middle class and took exception John Prescott Snr, after his son said 'we're all middle class now' in 1997 |
| Despite this, he still feels his humble background is seen as a handicap by others. But is class still relevant in the 21st Century? | Despite this, he still feels his humble background is seen as a handicap by others. But is class still relevant in the 21st Century? |
| It's quickly apparent that Mr Prescott's notion of class is quite old-fashioned with a clearly defined top, middle and bottom. And his attitude toward class is subjective, based on how he has been treated and how he has been made to feel inferior, either by the media or his political enemies. | It's quickly apparent that Mr Prescott's notion of class is quite old-fashioned with a clearly defined top, middle and bottom. And his attitude toward class is subjective, based on how he has been treated and how he has been made to feel inferior, either by the media or his political enemies. |
| So how does he fare in encounters with those who encapsulate his stereotypes of class? | So how does he fare in encounters with those who encapsulate his stereotypes of class? |
| Mr Prescott has spent his life avoiding, where possible, the upper classes. So an invitation to "luncheon" with Lord and Lady Onslow (the Seventh Earl of Onlsow) could be fraught. Although from opposite sides of the fence, both couples hugely enjoy bantering about their respective positions. FIND OUT MORE Prescott: The Class System and Me is broadcast on BBC Two on 27 October at 2100 GMTOr catch up with the BBC iPlayer | Mr Prescott has spent his life avoiding, where possible, the upper classes. So an invitation to "luncheon" with Lord and Lady Onslow (the Seventh Earl of Onlsow) could be fraught. Although from opposite sides of the fence, both couples hugely enjoy bantering about their respective positions. FIND OUT MORE Prescott: The Class System and Me is broadcast on BBC Two on 27 October at 2100 GMTOr catch up with the BBC iPlayer |
| Lord Onslow quickly spots what Mr Prescott himself knows defines him - the huge chip on his shoulder. "Sometimes, dear boy, I think you've got the whole Alps on your shoulder.'' | Lord Onslow quickly spots what Mr Prescott himself knows defines him - the huge chip on his shoulder. "Sometimes, dear boy, I think you've got the whole Alps on your shoulder.'' |
| And he also points out that Mr Prescott lets class outweigh his achievements in scaling political heights. "After all there hasn't been an Onslow in the cabinet since 1870." | And he also points out that Mr Prescott lets class outweigh his achievements in scaling political heights. "After all there hasn't been an Onslow in the cabinet since 1870." |
| This is also the impression of journalist Simon Hoggart, part of the middle class media reviled by the deputy PM. "You never seemed comfortable in your own skin. If I'd achieved what you had, I'd think I was the bee's knees," says Hoggart. | This is also the impression of journalist Simon Hoggart, part of the middle class media reviled by the deputy PM. "You never seemed comfortable in your own skin. If I'd achieved what you had, I'd think I was the bee's knees," says Hoggart. |
| Chav class | Chav class |
| But one group Mr Prescott is totally non-judgemental about is those lower on the social pecking order. | But one group Mr Prescott is totally non-judgemental about is those lower on the social pecking order. |
| Talking class with girls on an estate | Talking class with girls on an estate |
| He meets three South London girls. They are unemployed. They don't know who Gordon Brown is. And one has been kicked out of school for violence. | He meets three South London girls. They are unemployed. They don't know who Gordon Brown is. And one has been kicked out of school for violence. |
| He finds them delightful, when many others would be hugely critical. He sees their potential; they think he's posh. | He finds them delightful, when many others would be hugely critical. He sees their potential; they think he's posh. |
| So where does Mr Prescott feel most at home? He says with his own kind, the working classes - although he has moved so far beyond them, this is not straightforward either. "Working class people go past my house and refer to it as Prescott's Castle because it's got turrets on it." | So where does Mr Prescott feel most at home? He says with his own kind, the working classes - although he has moved so far beyond them, this is not straightforward either. "Working class people go past my house and refer to it as Prescott's Castle because it's got turrets on it." |
| He likes it most in Hull, at home with Pauline and at his beloved Mr Chu's, his favourite Chinese restaurant. | He likes it most in Hull, at home with Pauline and at his beloved Mr Chu's, his favourite Chinese restaurant. |
| "What's given me a great deal of strength, is when the press is banging me, is ordinary working people who say 'take no notice, John, you're doing all right'. They give you that succour, that comfort, that comes from solidarity - even though they know I'm in a different kind of world than they are," Mr Prescott says. | "What's given me a great deal of strength, is when the press is banging me, is ordinary working people who say 'take no notice, John, you're doing all right'. They give you that succour, that comfort, that comes from solidarity - even though they know I'm in a different kind of world than they are," Mr Prescott says. |
| So is it possible to be working class and live a middle class lifestyle? Much to his surprise, he finds it is possible to move up in the world without deserting his roots. | So is it possible to be working class and live a middle class lifestyle? Much to his surprise, he finds it is possible to move up in the world without deserting his roots. |
| Add your comments on this story, using the form below. | Add your comments on this story, using the form below. |
| There still is a strong concept of class in this country, defined by background, behaviour & attitude. I got quite a shock when I went to university, having come from a working class background, and first encountering the judgemental attitude of many middle class boys. I work as a consultant and you see the marked variations when working in different workplaces - the behaviour in an organisation is dominated by the backgrounds & income levels of people.Keith, Aberdeen | |
| This idea that class is no longer "relevant" is just handwringing liberal guilt. The liberal middle classes are uncomfortable with their growing advantages and attempt to minimise them as they get older by declaring class no longer relevant. True, it may no longer be about having dirt under your fingernails, wearing a tie or calling the midday meal "dinner", but class still permeates every aspect of British life. Do you visit Starbucks, buy organic vegetables, listen to Radio 4, go jogging, drink wine at dinner parties and aspire to send your kids to Oxbridge? Then you are probably middle class. Do you visit McDonalds, buy frozen ready meals, drink beer in a pub, watch Sky sports on a plasma TV, and aspire to own a 4x4? Then you are probably working class. A lot of people seem to think that because of wider higher education, home ownership and white collar jobs that the the middle class has expanded, when in fact the opposite has happened, it's become harder to join the genuine middle class - private/public school plus Russel group educated, plus professional qualifications, plus earning £60K plus - the changing face of the working class has convinced many who live modestly that they have "made it to the middle class" when they are just modern working class. Matt Munro | |