Eton rules - but not OK @ No 10

"I don't believe it!" Arturo exclaimed. "Another old Etonian hits the high spots! Talk about 'Jolly boating weather' and 'Pull, pull together'!"

I listened more closely to the programme on the radio that Arturo was listening to with great intensity. The item? The future Archbishop of Canterbury!

I understood now what Arturo was gabbling on about. The new Archbishop of Canterbury is to be Justin Welby, the Bishop of Durham. So! What's surprising about that, do I hear you ask? Well - look at his biographical details:

Educated at Eton College before going to Trinity College, Cambridge to study history and law.

Ah Ha! Where have I heard that phrase 'Educated at Eton College' before? Just think about it. Can't think? Well look at this:

'Boy David' Cameron' Prime Minister, 'Educated at Eton College'

'Georgy' Gideon Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, 'Educated at Eton College'

Sir George 'Gloomy' Young, Chief Whip, 'Educated at Eton College'

Oliver 'Snake in the grass' Letwin, Minister for Government Policy, 'Educated at Eton College'

Nicholas 'Call me Nick' Hurd, Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, 'Educated at Eton College'

Hugo 'Love me do' Swire, Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 'Educated at Eton College'

Philip 'No Claims' Dunne, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence, 'Educated at Eton College'

William 'Call me Bill' Wiggin, Assistant Government Whip, 'Educated at Eton College'

Wow! And that's not counting the 'Posh Boys' who went to Eton who are in the House of Lords! Of course, there is one other jolly old chap who we really could not omit from any list of influential Old Etonians and that is: Give him a big hand, yours truly:

Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, none other than 'Mop Head' Boris, Mayor of London, 'Educated at Eton College'

So, with all this VERY expensive education behind these leading lights, you would expect the UK to be flourishing, wouldn't you? But note this:

The Office for Budget Responsibility says:

Budget deficit ... still up on last year: Public sector net borrowing was £2.7 billion higher in the first six months of the fiscal year than in the equivalent period in 2011-12.

http://budgetresponsibility.independent.gov.uk/

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) stated:

Unemployment will continue to rise over the projection period, due to job cuts in public administration and weak output growth.

http://www.oecd.org/eco/economicoutlookanalysisandforecasts/unitedkingdom-economicforecastsummarymay2012.htm

And this was the Government that reckoned it would put the UK on its economic feet! Some feet!

It's not just the UK economy that's in a mess, however. In the 21st century, there is still no agreement about a 'living wage'. Thousands of people are being paid below what is considered to be sufficient to live on.

The so-called reform of the NHS has caused dismay across large swathes of the country. Private health providers are licking their lips at the prospect of making a fast buck from the tattered service.

The English education system is in disarray. Academies and 'Free Schools' are springing up in areas where there is already social division. The English Language GCSE results have left pupils with a distrust of the examination marking system.

The Armed Forces are being cut to a shadow. Soldiers who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan are finding themselves cast aside.

There have been so many U-Turns in policy, since the present government came to power that all UK inhabitants are in a flat spin!

SO - where did all this VERY expensive education at Eton go wrong? Not enough Problem Solving Lessons? Possibly the Mathematics masters forgot to teach the pupils basic adding up and taking away. The Chancellor and Prime Minister certainly don't seem to know 'how many beans make two?'

One thing their VERY expensive education did teach them was Public Relations (PR). But PR is only the ability to utter meaningless soundbites! Hence, the mess the country is in!

So, all in all, Arturo and I aren't too sure of the value to the country of being 'Educated at Eton College'. The individuals concerned have acquired the skills of being able to climb up the greasy pole to advance themselves. But, the country certainly reaps no rewards; quite the contrary in fact. Maybe, just maybe, the new Archbishop of Canterbury will be the exception that proves the rule. Let's hope so!

As for two old alley cats like me and Arturo, although we started life in the gutter, we too have positions of power in Downing Street! Now that is what I call real social mobility!

'Bye'