Which year was this observation made and, for double bragging rights, by who?
The tit-for-tat arguments presented in ‘balanced’ television programmes may have helped to confuse the public’s sense of the differences between the parties, and to add to their cynicism about any party’s claims to have a monopoly of wisdom. The idea that one party represented the working class and the other the middle and upper class hardly fitted the predominantly middle class university graduate character of the two front benches.
Guess away in the comments thread and check back same time tomorrow to find the answer.
UPDATE: The answer is here.
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8 Comments
My first thought was that it might be the original Dimbers (Richard) and date to late 50’s, when Gaitskell was Labour leader, but the Tories were probably too Old Etonian at the time to make that one fly.
The other possibility that comes to mind is that the quote is from Tony Benn’s diaries and could date to any time from the late 60’s onwards.
Gladstone, perhaps?
David Butler in 1964, perhaps.
A google-proof quote. I’m impressed.
David Butler 1950
I’ll guess Malcolm Muggeridge, circa 1959.
Jo Grimond – 1979.
I think it was in the early 70’s. No idea who said it but maybe a leading Liberal – Thorpe or Steel?