P421 Teletext on 4 421 Jul18 23:27:19 SCIENCE, CULTURE AND HISTORY ——————————————————————————————— BOTTOM OF THE CLASS Mew three-part special Class In Britain explores the issues surrounding the UK's entrenched social hierarchy. In part one, journalist Michael Collins goes on a personal journey back to his roots in South London. ollins believes the white working class have become demonised - "from salt of the earth to scum of the earth" - and marginalised as yobs, racists and chavs. He tells us more... ——————————————————————————————————1/7—— Coming soon is now on 407 GET UP TO SPEED: MOTORING NEWS p701 Gridlock TV today 4Services ConnectP421 Teletext on 4 421 Jul18 23:27:17 SCIENCE, CULTURE AND HISTORY ——————————————————————————————— BOTTOM OF THE CLASS In his book The Likes Of Us - A History Of The White Working Class, Michael Collins explores what has happened to this social group through the years. The book recently won the Orwell Prize For Political Writing and is now the inspiration for a documentary. "The time was right to look at the subject - there are so many generalisations and caricatures being bandied about," says Collins. ——————————————————————————————————2/7—— Coming soon is now on 407 GET UP TO SPEED: MOTORING NEWS p701 Gridlock TV today 4Services ConnectP421 Teletext on 4 421 Jul18 23:12:25 SCIENCE, CULTURE AND HISTORY ——————————————————————————————— BOTTOM OF THE CLASS Michael Collins filmed in London's Southwark for his documentary on white working class, but what happened there happened in many places across the UK. "I looked at South London as it's the landscape I knew growing up," says Collins, born in Walworth in 1961. ollins points to developments such as the Elephant and Castle which uprooted communities, rehousing them in what soon became crime ridden sink estates. ——————————————————————————————————3/7—— Coming soon is now on 407 GET UP TO SPEED: MOTORING NEWS p701 Gridlock TV today 4Services ConnectP421 Teletext on 4 421 Jul18 23:14:14 SCIENCE, CULTURE AND HISTORY ——————————————————————————————— BOTTOM OF THE CLASS Like many other young people born into urban white working class families, Uournalist Michael Collins moved out to the suburbs. Ironically, poor inner city areas are being regenerated and are becoming too expensive for those brought up there. "I moved five years ago to Essex as many people did because of costs. I think I'm part of a media underclass! I have the kudos but not the cash." ——————————————————————————————————4/7—— Coming soon is now on 407 GET UP TO SPEED: MOTORING NEWS p701 Gridlock TV today 4Services ConnectP421 Teletext on 4 421 Jul18 23:14:23 SCIENCE, CULTURE AND HISTORY ——————————————————————————————— BOTTOM OF THE CLASS While the working class are forced out of urban areas because of spiralling costs, some regeneration schemes are hoping to redress the balance. "In Southwark there is a new scheme which hopes to reclaim the network of streets and recreate community," says journalist Michael Collins. "The plan is to create a mix so you have an expensive tower as well as affordable housing." ——————————————————————————————————5/7—— Coming soon is now on 407 GET UP TO SPEED: MOTORING NEWS p701 Gridlock TV today 4Services ConnectP421 Teletext on 4 421 Jul18 23:12:11 SCIENCE, CULTURE AND HISTORY ——————————————————————————————— BOTTOM OF THE CLASS Despite the fact class distinctions and prejudices are still alive and kicking, there is now a blurring of class. Journalist Michael Collins, who focuses on the subject for Class In Britain, says: "It is easier for people to move between classes now in so far as money can bring the lower classes up. "Then there are upper class folk such as (ara Palmer-Tomkinson doing things of another social class." ——————————————————————————————————6/7—— Coming soon is now on 407 GET UP TO SPEED: MOTORING NEWS p701 Gridlock TV today 4Services ConnectP421 Teletext on 4 421 Jul18 23:21:10 SCIENCE, CULTURE AND HISTORY ——————————————————————————————— BOTTOM OF THE CLASS What does Michael Collins predict for the working class in south-east London. "The younger generation have moved out to the suburbs and the older generation will eventually go," he says. "In the future I think it will be a black or asian writer who will be telling the story of the area and I'm sure they will have an equally interesting tale to tell." This episode has been screened. The series continues Sunday, 8pm ——————————————————————————————————7/7—— Coming soon is now on 407 GET UP TO SPEED: MOTORING NEWS p701 Gridlock TV today 4Services Connect