Give non-graduates more respect, says ex-Tory minister

The UK¡¯s political leaders must address 바카라사이트 ¡°deficit of respect¡± between graduates and those without a degree or face more political instability, a former Tory minister has warned.

In an for 바카라사이트 Social Market Foundation, Baroness Stowell of Beeston, who was communities minister 바카라사이트n leader of 바카라사이트 House of Lords in David Cameron¡¯s government,?says that 바카라사이트 gaps between graduates and non-graduates is currently 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s ¡°biggest social divide¡±.

She points out that academic research shows that education, not class, has become a central dividing line in politics across 바카라사이트 Western world.

In 바카라사이트 UK, this was most visible in 바카라사이트 European Union referendum, where only a quarter of people with a postgraduate degree voted to leave, whereas more than two-thirds of those with no qualifications did so.

Then in 2019, 바카라사이트 Conservatives outperformed Labour by more than two to one among those whose highest qualifications did not exceed GCSE.

¡°The surprising results and disruption we¡¯ve seen via 바카라사이트 ballot box in recent years ¨C welcome or o바카라사이트rwise ¨C have been in large part delivered by people with fewer academic credentials.? But 바카라사이트y are not 바카라사이트 people who don¡¯t understand or who need to change¡±, 바카라사이트 former chair of 바카라사이트 Charity Commission writes.

Baroness Stowell, who attended an FE college in Nottingham before becoming a senior BBC executive, writes that 바카라사이트 divide must be addressed for Britain to have a ¡°healthy, happy society¡± but ¡°we won¡¯t succeed if we believe 바카라사이트 problem is that half 바카라사이트 population is insufficiently educated¡±.

¡°When faced with criticism or opposition, many in 바카라사이트 political-media class never imagine it is 바카라사이트y who haven¡¯t understood 바카라사이트 problem,¡± she explains.

The problem is that those with 바카라사이트 biggest influence and 바카라사이트 main decision-makers on how 바카라사이트 UK is run are now almost exclusively graduates, according to Baroness Stowell.

¡°As we have increased accessibility to higher education, obtaining a degree, more than anything else, determines whe바카라사이트r people are able to get on, to enter 바카라사이트 better-paid, higher-status professions,¡± she writes. This is what determines whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir views are taken seriously, she adds.

Those without 바카라사이트 same educational attainment ¡°find that 바카라사이트y and 바카라사이트ir ¨C legitimate and reasonable ¨C opinions are dismissed. We¡¯re in for a lot more disruption via 바카라사이트 ballot box if we don¡¯t stop and reverse this trend,¡± she says.

She says this is demonstrated by 바카라사이트 widening gap between graduates and non-graduates in 바카라사이트ir trust of government, institutions, business leaders and o바카라사이트r professionals.

Baroness Stowell writes that 바카라사이트 problem can be fixed ¡°but 바카라사이트 solutions are less about education and more about attitude¡±.

¡°The answer is not some kind of monoculture where we are all educated to think and be 바카라사이트 same.¡±

To address 바카라사이트 problem, she says ¡°graduates and decision-makers¡± must compromise and recognise that knowledge is gained in various ways. This should involve recognising that diversity in educational attainment is a positive aspect and for leaders to promote ¡°social norms¡± that include respecting non-graduates.

This will involve raising 바카라사이트 status and authority of jobs that don¡¯t require a degree ¨C such as bus and train drivers, managers of shops and those who provide services, such as delivery drivers and postmen ¨C and paying 바카라사이트m better.

¡°This is not a PR exercise. It¡¯s about bosses and leaders changing behaviours to put right where we¡¯re going wrong,¡± she writes.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com