It’s a consistent theme on the BBC – the demonisation of anyone deemed “posh”. Did you catch THIS discussion on whether or not it is right to be rude to posh people? For a hint on where the BBC may stand on this I direct you to the sarcastic introduction by John Humphyrs “I shall now attempt the impossible; I shall invite you to feel sorry for posh people.” Anyone with a decent command of the Queen’s English is, by BBC definition, “posh” and open to a little class warfare from the comrades.
CLASS WARS
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Does anyone know John Humphrey’s salary? Perhaps there’s a crucial; difference between rich and posh that I haven’t considered?
In 2005
“..Humphrys is now 62, and has been a presenter on the Today programme since 1987. His contract with the BBC runs to June 2007 which is when he has indicated he will retire. His salary has been reported as £150,000, though, of course, this is supplemented by his after-dinner speaking engagements which pay up to £12,000 each.”
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/john-humphrys-on-the-ropes-510072.html
Shame he didn’t keep to his intentions.
I thought most of the Beeboids were Posh.
No, they are rich middle class socialists. These are the people who pretend they are “working class”, but would cross the road if a worker came towards them.
If it’s not posh people, it’s bankers with Humph. Can’t he keep his silly little prejudices to himself?
Wonder how Humph gets on with Sarah Montague? Privately educated, worked for a stockbrokers, and posh.
I`d have thought a nice little gaff in Greece would constitute “posh”…weren`t his kinsmen a bit testy about holiday homes before Blair made it “acceptable”? He`d have been relaxed about that though!
Presumably in Beebland, he`s nouveau riche because it`s only Greece-not Tuscany like Polly and the others.
No doubt his Silver Surfer Pass will get him his annual freebie out to check the retsina prospects for this year…Jims had his beano, so fairs fair…equality of outcome is a BBC mission objective…and these Celtic Champions are equally entitled to rummage through the nations pockets-because they`re worth it.
Who will ever forget poor Sarah Montague getting her nightmare assignment a few years back?
Someone shoved her to Kings Cross and sent her to Bradford to “report” on the Shannon Matthews case.
Her reports were a joy to behold…a lot more than two nations up there for her, and the despairing flounderings round Bradfords wind- swept estates were anthropological gold…no news apart from Sarah thinking that mushy peas were avocado dip to all extent!Bless!
I see another story up there for Sarah…share the petrol with Steve Jones and she could be there for prayers on Friday if we could persuade her to examine the views of the Muslim community!
Start the conversation Sarah..
Surely that was posh Mandelson of the posh dip misunderstanding.
Yes-metaphorically,hence the “to all extent”.
Another fine example of how intolerant narrow-minded and hate-filled these ‘free-thinking liberals’ really are. They despise anyone who is richer than them almost as much as they despise those who are poorer than them (the ‘filthy stinking white working/lower-middle-class racist nazi scum’)
This type of behaviour is common amongst people with an inferiority complex who use it as a way to try and boost their low self-esteem.
They despise anyone who is richer than them almost as much as they despise those who are poorer than them (the ‘filthy stinking white working/lower-middle-class racist nazi scum’)
EDL for instance.
Oh, EDL members are common as muck. Why on earth can’t they celebrate the transformation of their towns in to Third World hell holes.
Does that mean I am posh? My parents will be so proud…
I’m no social anthropologist, but I think all we are talking about with “posh” is simply regional accents. Whilst the media-elite hipocritically wallow in “Mockney”, Essex Estuary, Cheryl Cole “Pet”, and that ever present Co-op Scots burr “Gud with Fud”, what they call “posh” is simply the normal regional accent of Surrey Hampshire and Sussex. Its Tory country of course. So its “stuck up High Tory finktheyarebettrn us” Class War speech. Showing what a spiteful prejudiced bunch of lefty scum they are.
Not really. A country Hampshire accent wouldn’t be considered posh. Neither would a common-or-garden Croydon or Purley or Worcester Park accent, say. I think it has to be a bit more defined than just simply any old regional Home County accent.
Hampshire is a bit “common” I must admit, includes Portsmouth. Lets just say darkest Surrey and Sussex. You live that way Millie, or is this just guesswork?
Over the fifty years that I’ve lived in central, rural Hampshire I’ve seen a distinct change in how it sounds. Way back, there was once a distinct Hampshire burr, found everywhere from the local tractor driver to the ardent Pompey fan. It was not as pronounced as Wiltshire or Zomerzet, but was lovely to the ear. There was also the ‘air hair lair!’ of the gentry. Curiously, both accents were erudite. It may have been a different accent, but it was never lazy or slack-jawed (“yeh innit?”). Since the M3 brought Londoners and TV brought Eastenders, it’s now 50/50 grating slobby cockney and posh mockney.
I miss dreadfully the smoke breaks with Ernie, our tractor driver, who, of course, was born and brought up in our tiny hamlet. I loved his tales of how it was before pylons and aircraft trails. Bizarrely, his best stories were about his days as a chef in the army, cooking for the Australian troops occupying post-Hiroshima Japan – “Those steaks, nipper! Like dustbin lids, they were!” And all told in a fantastic Hampshire accent.
Chuffer,
am I right in thinking that the late, great, Lord Denning had the Hampshire burr ? Always nice to hear him speaking. Now, did being a Law Lord make him posh ?
Ah yes, a man of Whitchurch, I think. I remember hearing him speak at the Referendum Party conference in Brighton – although it had to a prerecorded speech, because he was to ill to attent in person.
Mind you, we were all still gooey having had Ms Goldsmith waft past us! Mmmmm.
North East Surrey way bordering south west London, rather than deepest Surrey. Mention of Portsmouth reminds me of a friend from Portsmouth who felt something of an outsider in the medical profession because of his lack of posh accent and background. It didn’t stop him from having a distinguished career in his specialty but it was perhaps just a bit harder – not that any medics don’t have it hard making it to consultant (then dying young, in many cases). It was a little easier for his children, with their middle-class Surrey upbringing, than it was for the working-class boy from Portsmouth who left school at 16.
I went to a funny old orphanage just after the war, based in Oxfordshore then moved to Surrey. All my teachers were Welsh Welshman – but they were sticklers for BBC English.
Living now in South West London/Surrey, I cringe at some of the accents I hear. It has become “smart” for schoolkids to talk down – including talking in Caribbean patois.
It’s the hip-hop culture posing that’s spread like a nasty virus. Loads of suburban US white kids affect the vocal equivalent of blackface. It’s okay to do that because the stereotype is that blacks are oppressed, and lower class, so there’s no charge of acting above one’s status.
I understand the bizarre practice of wearing one’s trousers halfway down the thighs has also spread to Britian.
David P,
Sadly, the trouser disease has spread even as far as Bonnie Scotland and it just looks so stupid !
John,
What a coincidence. I confess to going to school in Surrey and one of the teachers was Welsh and the best teacher I ever had !
Humph sends his kid to a private school in London. Is that posh?
Not too sure how much the sun glinting through the window of Club Class can mess with the complimentary bubbly served after takeoff, but just in case, one is sure the discerning BBC employee ‘on assignment’ (such as Mr. Naughtie en route to ‘interview’ people whose language he understands as well as the Middle East editor) or to Bali for an eco conference or (as indicated) to the villa in the Med for weekend R&R will avoid the risk and fly port out, starboard home.
It seems to be a definition that encompasses wealth as much as class, and whilst few chez Aunty seem to have the latter, they sure qualify on the former.
Without the class war weapon what have these socialist hypocrites got going for them? They thive on jealousy and spite, the need enemies of the epole just like their Marxist allies in the USSR needed them. Scapegoats to point the finger at, it is a leftist speciality and still one of their most potent weapons.
Rich socialists, the world is full of them. Rank hypocrites who use the working class as foot soldiers but look upon them with a stark contempt, as long as their foot soldiers know their place and dont get ideas above their station of course.
Took my half hour colonic with Today.
It was Justin and Sarah today…might as well be Mike and Bernie for all the help I got-just about as funny though,albeit in a sad way!
First autopsy up was “world hunger”…Oxfam there to brainstorm its confusion about it all. Yes -biofuels will reduce global warming, but no-it can`t then be used to feed the world. Oh what`s to become of us?…can I go now?Just the one bag of apricot croissants to take away-we ARE Oxfam you know!
She was balanced with some nasty hedge fund type who will only use this pretext to grind the bones of the poor into the dust bowl she`ll leave us to sweep out afterwards.
That she was the only one who had ever MADE money and not drained it from the rest of us only made her nastier to Sarah and that nice Oxfam lady.
The middle classes-that`ll be us then,as it`s surely not these gels-are nicking the worlds milk bottles that the toffs leave out for the poor-by the bird table..but there`s no birds!…global warming! Oh Buddha! Smelling salts for Monty ,Zachary!
Incoherent…inconsistent…usual surfeit of red herrings for their lunches later…and it`s the bankers, spivs, middle class deniers of global warming to blame…I think( but who knows?).
Pot pourri?…dogs dinner?..bubble and squeak of old reheated offal and innards? Take your pick! Depnds on how the light shines on it.
Now-over to Gary who won`t say anything too ropey about FIFA until he sees who`s winning out there…ticket to Zurich first class anyone?
Cue SchnorbitZ…Eeeeee!
In reality food production is rising steadily, the only things holding back ever greater agricultural production are things like the euroslime CAP, eco fascist inspired Luddite policies, corruption, the dumping of surplus food by rich nations onto 3rd world nations thereby killing internal demand and the exploitation of 3rd world agricultural land.
In essence there is a concerted campaign by vested interests to keep Africa poor and dependent on food charity handouts, there are those who believe that keeping the 3rd world poor in their stone age subsistence farming nighmare will protect the rich Western superiority in agriculture. The CAP is a major player in the contiuation of 3rd world poverty ably assisted by the likes of OXFAM/GREENPISS/FIENDS OF THE EARTH.
In spite of the restrictions and the protectionsim and the grotesque aid industry we see ever rising food production, if only the brakes of selfish self interest were destroyed we would see a booming world. The chips are stacked against the 3rd world, cought between corrupted client despots and the crushing weight of the 1st world protectionisms and the choking dead hand of ecofascism.
Cassie,
Absolutely spot on !!!!!
Many thanks Grant, as you have close ties to Africa you have seen and often explained the actual results of this aid industry destruction.
Cassie,
Cheers. One of the worst things is the corrupt oligarchs in the EU bribing corrupt dictators in West Africa to sell the fishing rights so EU industrial trawlers can scoop up everything, most of which gets dumped.
All this at the expense of local fisherman who, literally, risk their lives ( many drown each year ) in small wooden crafts “pirogues” just to feed their families and sell some fish in the local markets.
Traditional and sustainable fishing.
Oh, how I would love to send all the EU fatcats out in a storm in the rainy season with these chaps. Wouldn’t it be a tragedy if only the fishermen survived.
cj,
Did Sarah ask the Oxfam lady how much she is paid ?
Oh Grant -you are a one!
You cannot put a price on what Babs does for Gaia…yeah?
Whatever it is, it cannot be enough!
Earth Mother Number One has been providing “chugging solutions” to Ilford High St now for longer that the Aquarian Age man.
Would urge you to get” hip to the trip” and hop aboard the “peace and love” train before we send Ringo round!
Our shopfitting community will be disappointed in your question…or,more likely, that executive pimply lad on 100K on his “gap” but coordinates the marketing of our cheridee!
So-to quote St Geri of Halliwell… go forth…and in this new spiwit…let us all “spice up our lives”…appropriately sourced of course!
Unless you want Ringo to bring the cucumbers as well…this topic is closed…peace and love,peace and love!
cj,
I read “shopfitting” as “shoplifting” at first !
Now, what conclusions might we draw from this evidence of the workings of the witness’s mind, m’lud? *DONT_KNOW*
If by “posh” the bbc mean political, liberal elite/ruling class, then it’s probably OK! But then they are referring to people like themselves.
I’m not 100% what “posh” these days is supposed to mean, other than talking in a certain way.
I prefer to see it in terms of having a bit of class, which in my experience is something the BBC and many so-called “posh” sorely lack.
What about posh black people? Can we pick on them? Or posh muslims. Or posh black muslims. Or posh black disabled lesbian dwarf muslims? Oh lead on, BBC, I *need* your moral guidance for I am a mere mortal and [because of you] I have no brain of my own!
OK, joking aside, if your lifestyle defines you as ‘posh’ then almost any high-profile BBC presenter would fall well within the definition.
Highly paid? Check
Affluent London lifestyle? Check
Does after dinner speaking and/or newspaper column as a side-line? Check
Kids at exclusive school? Check
Hmmm… Did they end up being rude to each other, then? I hope they phoned the DG to be rude to him too…
Good point Ray!
Flicked on something about black crime writers…Bonnie Greers writing is indeed criminal, but she may have had her two cents earlier(£500 more like!).
Lots of posh black people indeed…and guess what…only a generation or two away from share cropping and menial jobs to prop up the white man in his luxury pile.Sounded like they had a few plums on the go as they spoke though…which is how the BBC likes it!
Now I hate Paxman,Fry and all the other fey liberal elite…and I didn`t watch any of those “Who do you think you are” family tree shows. I do know though that all of them were themselves only a couple of generations from Glasgow workhouses or domestic service-so it`s not as if whitey was an oppressor despite Lee Jaspers and the BBC Diversity Polices best efforts to paint us all as such!
Still that was the gist of the little I heard.
Oh-just caught Alan Johnson sharing riffs for 15 mins with the bloke who plays “Remember You`re a Womble”…just as Tony Blair might have done if the BBC had asked him!
Bloody Prescott had a part in a play a few years ago…yet no Mchael Howard for the Dracula series I noted!
How do they get away withthis crap…let Johnson be the last rocker on the block in his own time…and hasn`t Hull got enough problems apart from this Postman Pot!
Biased BBC indeed!
cj,
Yes, I caught the Alan Johnson show on R4 today and he also presented “Have I got News for you ? ” the other week. A new BBC star in the making.
The only Tory stars seem to be Ann Widdicombe, Michael Portillo and Matthew Parris and I don’t class the last two as Tories. Not sure about Ann , either.
Ray,
It is ok to pick on posh Conservative peer, Lord Taylor.
You want black posh? Listen to the kids coming out of Dulwich College school.
http://www.dulwich.org.uk/Home_1.aspx?id=1:29013
Rageh Omar move over, sons of African dictators and nepotistic elites of Afreekha galore. All as posh as they come. Mind you, its about £20k a year.
You may have heard that Amnesty is 50 this year!
Last nights paean to the dreamers and visionaries that brought Thatch low were lauded in the Secret Policemans Ball.100 mins or so on BBC4…hopefully going no further!
Wouldn`t say it was secret!…never seen a bandwagon festooned with such luvvies and bunting as the parade of Lords,Sirs, Ladies and OBEs who kicked Dylans protest songs into a bodybag after a slow strangling back in the late 70s.
Your Beeb class warriors who foisted their student revue upon us back then?…Fry,Henry,Sayle…more recently, Izzard,Ross and Brand(not that the latter two were asked for their reminiscences!).
In short-as Pete Towshend strummed in happier times-“meet the new boss,same as the old boss”…but at least Cottons,Grades etc had some talent to spot and did so. This new wave of old liberal poses and pretensions-Tom Robinson for Gods sake- won`t let others flower as long as they have a permanent seat on the Broadcasting Buffet Carousel
Still-at least Fry and Henry with Sayle and Izzard does help me see what torture is…so hats off to Amnesty for that anyway!
Maybe that useless Merton could turn it silent with Richard Vranch at the piano…that might work!