I don't really see the inconsistency.

Cecil Sharp, Vaughan Williams, Aaron Copeland, Benjamin Britten, Peter Peers, Ewan MacColl, Martin Carthy......

Its all middle class people recreating folk music in a way that the actual merry ploughboys wouldn't have recognised.

Some people really love Benjamin Britten and all his works. Some people love Martin Carthy and all his works. Isn't there rooom for everybody to have a go?

I think it was Martin who said, the only way we can damage these songs is to not perform them.