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Nick Clegg accuses Boris Johnson of 'careless elitism' Nick Clegg accuses Boris Johnson of 'careless elitism'
(35 minutes later)
Nick Clegg has accused London Mayor Boris Johnson of "careless elitism" for suggesting that some people are not clever enough to succeed in life.Nick Clegg has accused London Mayor Boris Johnson of "careless elitism" for suggesting that some people are not clever enough to succeed in life.
Mr Johnson said in a speech that 16% "of our species" have an IQ below 85, and called for more to be done to help the brightest people in the country.Mr Johnson said in a speech that 16% "of our species" have an IQ below 85, and called for more to be done to help the brightest people in the country.
But Mr Clegg said it was "fairly unpleasant" to talk about people "as if we are a breed of dogs".But Mr Clegg said it was "fairly unpleasant" to talk about people "as if we are a breed of dogs".
The Lib Dem leader said people should be encouraged and not told to give up.The Lib Dem leader said people should be encouraged and not told to give up.
Speaking on his weekly LBC radio phone-in he said that the danger of such a "deterministic" view of people based on their IQ was "complete anathema to everything I have stood for in politics".Speaking on his weekly LBC radio phone-in he said that the danger of such a "deterministic" view of people based on their IQ was "complete anathema to everything I have stood for in politics".
'Dispiriting'
Mr Johnson made his comments as he delivered the Centre for Policy Studies' annual Margaret Thatcher lecture.Mr Johnson made his comments as he delivered the Centre for Policy Studies' annual Margaret Thatcher lecture.
He defended the importance of "boardroom greed" and "some measure of inequality" as a spur to economic activity at a time when the income gap between those at the top and those at the bottom was getting ever wider.He defended the importance of "boardroom greed" and "some measure of inequality" as a spur to economic activity at a time when the income gap between those at the top and those at the bottom was getting ever wider.
He said that any discussion about equality had to take account of the fact that people had different IQ levels, adding: "The harder you shake the pack, the easier it will be for some cornflakes to get to the top."He said that any discussion about equality had to take account of the fact that people had different IQ levels, adding: "The harder you shake the pack, the easier it will be for some cornflakes to get to the top."
"I am afraid that violent economic centrifuge is operating on human beings who are already very far from equal in raw ability, if not spiritual worth," Mr Johnson said.
Commenting on the mayor's speech, Mr Clegg said: "Much though he is a funny and engaging guy, I think these comments reveal a fairly unpleasant, careless elitism that suggests we should somehow give up on a whole swathe of our fellow citizens."
He said politicians should be "instilling an opportunity culture" rather than sending out such a "dispiriting" message.
"Our job in politics is surely not to simply say we are going to hive off one bunch of people and put them in one category and kind of basically say they are parked and that there is not much we can do about them."