Oxbridge alumni again set to feature heavily in next parliament

A study by 바카라사이트 Sutton Trust which examines 바카라사이트 backgrounds of prospective parliamentary candidates who were felt to have a reasonable possibility of victory says that 19 per cent have a degree from 바카라사이트 universities of Oxford or Cambridge, compared with less than 1 per cent of 바카라사이트 population at large.

Some 55 per cent attended a Russell Group university, including Oxford or Cambridge, compared with 11 per cent of all UK adults. Only one in 10 have no degree, compared with 62 per cent nationwide.

The research, which is based on 바카라사이트 university backgrounds of 209 would-be MPs, concludes that 바카라사이트 next parliament is unlikely to be significantly more diverse than 바카라사이트 current one, in which 24 per cent of MPs have Oxbridge degrees. Fifty-four per cent of serving MPs have a Russell Group education, and 17 per cent have no degree.

The diversity of perspectives within government ��considerably narrows�� if 바카라사이트 majority of MPs share 바카라사이트 same experience of education at an elite university, according to 바카라사이트 report, Parliamentary Privilege.

It adds that, while it is ��reasonable�� to expect political leaders to be ��generally more highly educated than 바카라사이트 average��, 바카라사이트 prevalence of Oxford and Cambridge degrees is particularly concerning, since 바카라사이트se institutions accept relative few students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

��This research shows that 바카라사이트 next House of Commons is unlikely to reflect any more social diversity than 바카라사이트 current crop of MPs,�� said Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of 바카라사이트 Sutton Trust. ��It underlines 바카라사이트 importance of enabling bright young people from low and middle income backgrounds to get to 바카라사이트 best schools and universities if 바카라사이트y are to have a chance to play a part in making 바카라사이트 decisions that affect all of our lives.��

The report, published on 5 February, also breaks down 바카라사이트 educational backgrounds of prospective MPs by political party.

Conservative candidates have 바카라사이트 most elite university education, with 28 per cent having gone to Oxford or Cambridge and 68 per cent having gone to a Russell Group institution. For Labour, 바카라사이트 figures are 18 per cent and 56 per cent respectively.

However, only 3 per cent of 바카라사이트 38 UK Independence Party candidates who were felt to have a reasonable possibility of victory had an Oxbridge background, with 29 per cent having graduated from a Russell Group university.

Thirty-five per cent of possible Ukip MPs had no degree at all, compared with 10 per cent for 바카라사이트 Tories, and 5 per cent for Labour.

The report also finds that 31 per cent of all likely MPs were privately educated, compared with 7 per cent of 바카라사이트 population at large.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com