Letters: Peter Hitchens vs Nick Cohen, and the case against the middle class

Piggies in the middle

Sir: Your feature ‘The strange death of the middle class’ (24 August) assumes that young people who do not attend fee-paying schools cannot have access to the same opportunities as those who do. I attended my local comprehensive in the first decade of this century. Despite the variable teaching quality, I did well in exams, went on to a good university, and now work for an aerospace company. I can afford to rent a flat, go on holiday and save a little, all on an income not much higher than the average starting salary for a graduate. I have not inherited any money, nor did I receive any from my parents during university. If you work hard at school, study a useful degree, and don’t expect to walk into the lifestyle of a euro-billionaire, then the UK is a fine place for the young and middle class.