Apparently half the population of Britain are now claiming to be working class...

This despite the fact that the traditional working class pretty much disbanded after they lost the class war - thanks to behated Tory leader Margaret Thatcher... now we even have people on £100,000+ claiming to be working class.

But then, class always has been a particularly British obsession. This latest trend, though, is less to do with the notions of social aspiration and the like and more to do with the the fact that's it's somehow "cool" to be working class. If working class actually meant a class of people that worked, then that might be great... sadly, it seems to have little to do with that.

No, it's more to do with emulating non-ebrities and various people who have essentially left behind their own inauspicious beginnings to start being classless and nouveaux riche and of course, let's not forget the double standard that all of this represents. While there would doubtless be a furore over anyone saying "I don't like common people" it's perfectly acceptable to go "I don't like toffs".

No wonder Britain is going down the pan.