I have a fairly neutral accent and speak a bit like Mo Mowlam who went to the same school in Coventry (near birmingham and has a strong midland accent which is very unpopular). I did have elocution lessons at school which probably ironed out a lot of the regionalaccent, and since I spent my early years abroad I did not form any sort of accent in my formative years. I tend to speak very quickly but just occasionally the odd phrase comes out in a broad Hull accent e.g'I'll ave a rum and curk'. Accent is definitely a class thing in this country and dneotes pretty much your social status.