Guest, Ralphie wrote: Does anybody really care anymore?

I think so. It's changed over the years though. A lack of manufacturing industry &c. and therefore a lack of 'traditional' working/lower-class job has meant fields of employment have changed and can't used as the indicator it might have once been.

However, I think under-lying attitudes still remain. Over the last month or so, I've seen a few news pieces on how the 'middle-classes' are now having to 'slum it' in cheap(er) supermarkets and use charity-shops.

Granted, this Daily Mail column is a fluff piece - and possibly some of it is in jest - but I think some of the sneering is genuine.