The ascent of British man
We looked at a cross-section of Britain's ruling class, and compared it with the same cross-section 20 years ago. The results are shocking
A REVOLUTION, Thatcherites sometimes like to claim, has taken place in Britain. The old establishment, Sirs and Lords who went to Oxford or Cambridge, has been swept aside. Room at the top has been taken by meritocrats, who owe their position entirely to their abilities. For the personification of the change, behold John Major, Brixton-born and state-educated, who left school at 16 and is now prime minister.
More from Europe
Can the good ship Europe weather the Trumpnado?
Tossed by political storms, the continent must dodge a new threat
Spain’s proposed house tax on foreigners will not fix its shortage
Pedro Sánchez will need the opposition’s help to increase supply
A French-sponsored Ukrainian army brigade has been badly botched
The scandal reveals serious weaknesses in Ukraine’s military command
A TV dramatisation of Mussolini’s life inflames Italy
With Giorgia Meloni in power, the fascist past is more relevant than ever
France’s new prime minister is trying to court the left
François Bayrou gambles with Emmanuel Macron’s economic legacy
How the AfD got its swagger back
Germany’s hard-right party is gaining support even as it radicalises