Are all 'Toffs' Bad?

This appeared on Twitter today, not quite hidden among the masses of posts dwelling on the election result.  Much has been made re the 'Toffs' in cabinet with little idea of real life in the nation today, so it was interesting to look at the totals of 'Toffs' in each parliament since 1945.

Atlee of course was himself a 'Toff,'  his school followed the Victorian habit of sending 'schoolboys' into rough areas to improve education needs and other aspects of life in what was often real slum like conditions.  Clem found his life there.  He remained in the East End of London, becoming a local councillor, then MP for the area, and before the war leader of the Labour Party.  Of course during the Great War he served, as an officer, at Gallipoli and elsewhere.  When the war came he remained in charge of the Labour Party, and took the role of Deputy Prime minister when Churchill was touring the world.  Many enjoyed this as his manner was that of an efficient manager, with no monologues to offer the cabinet!  After the war he led the greatest improvement in UK life that there has been in a short, and bankrupt, time.  If only he was around today!

Few 'Toffs' in his cabinet, many had come from the factory floor through the unions, and quite a few had reached university.  The attitudes at the time are revealed in the 'Toffs' actions after Labour lost power.  Churchill, an excellent war leader, was at heart a Liberal, and did not reverse much that the 'socialists' had introduced.  Indeed, he sent one 'Toff,' Harold MacMillan the housing secretary, to build 3 million houses between 1951 and 1953.  This he completed!  I see no chance of the Tory leaders after 2010 considering this action.  

Many see the 1950s as a glory period, and in some ways they are correct.  For a start I was born (cheer loudly at the back), and in 1953 we moved into a brand new corporation flat at a rate of £1 7/1d a week.  To the parents this was not just expensive but also luxury!  

The 'Toffs' of the 1950s remained 'Toffs.'  They did not pretend to be working class, they remained themselves, and until MacMillan was ridiculed, by privately educated comedians on 'That Was The Week That Was,' little changed.  After these 'Toffs' came the pretend working class Harold Wilson.  I'm not sure which was more honest.     

Comparing the attitudes to the 1950s 'Toffs' with those from 2010 reveals men who fought in one war, supported the nation during a second, with a long period of depressions in between.  The Boris cabinet contained men who while young did not wear uniform, instead they played 'Punk' records and trashed Oxford restaurants while laughing at the plebs.  Social conscience, an understanding of what their policies led to, and an understanding of human nature and life itself was absent from the majority of Conservative Cabinet members during this time.  Self and money was all, and now kicked out by the people, a people that did not rush to support Labour, they run off to find high paid jobs still unaware of real life.  Look out for all sorts of ex-Tory MPs appearing in well paid quangos near you soon.  Their appreciation of public need will have not developed any by the time they float off with another fat pension from that job.

As for Keir's mob we wait and see.