The Eton Elite

Twenty prime ministers were schooled at Eton College, of whom nine were educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford, including all three who held office between 1880 and 1902 (Gladstone, Salisbury, Rosebery). Seven were educated at Harrow School and six at Westminster School.

Of the fifty five who have held the post nearly half up to 2020 have attended Eton College. This very narrow pool of ‘leaders ‘ gives lie to the assertion that we live in a Democracy.

Denial of power has been the hallmark of the ruling classes for over two centuries. The last real revolution that swept aside the established order that had been in place since the Battle at Senlac Hill in 1066 was the the English Civil War which broke out in 1642.

Cromwell said he wanted ‘plain russet coated men who knew what they fought for‘ this was the essence of what became known as the ‘Good Old Cause'.

This cause has influenced every radical movement since the Restoration in 1660. Though the Restoration brought the Stuarts back to the throne, their line was effectively ended by the Glorious Revolution of 1688 which laid the foundations of the present British State. The Restoration was not a happy period, families like the Washingtons , Franklins and Jeffersons left England to go to the New World. The influence of the Good Old Cause was brought to fruition in the founding of the United States.

The current British State operates on the basis of interrelated political families, irrespective of which side of the political divide. The descendants of Churchill have taken seats in Parliament, Winston himself descended from John Churchill. The rise of the Red Princes like the Kinnocks is the other side of the coin.

The British political elite have created a stagnant State where voting for change is becoming near impossible. The Libertarian Party advocates root and branch Constitutional change, not the continuation of failure by London Elites.

Andrew Withers FRSA