Penguin: Author/Book Research

Owen Jones is a columnist for The Guardian, left-wind political activist and writer of Chavs: the demonisation of the working class and The Establishment: and how they get away with it. He studied history at Oxford University before becoming a columnist for The Independent and then The Guardian. Within his first book Chavs, he looks at the stereotypes of the working class and the use of the term Chavs. In regards to The Establishment Jones aimed to establish the 'new establishment' based on shared mentality rather than based on background.

Summary of book:
Within the book Jones looks at the old establishment which was based on who you know, however Jones aims to establish a new area of the establishment, one based on shared mentalities. The main aim of the establishment being to maintain a fiction around what is and isn't politically possible. Due to this the new establishment is more diverse than the earlier establishment discussed by journalist Henry Fairlie in 1950s, as those included are those who stand to benefit from the use of the free hand that the free-market ideology gives them. Therefor you no longer have to be British to be apart of the British political establishment. Jones looks at the development that has led politicians, press and police to become part of the establishment whereas before it would have been there job to curb the excesses of others. Despite the new establishment being based on shared mentality Jones admits who you know can also play a vital role. Another main aspect of the book is Jones question of what it means to be anti-establishment, as the public want a fairer more equitable society, the establishment is just more organised as traditional forms of opposition such as trade unions have fallen.

Throughout the book Jones often meets with political figures in the cafe of Portcullis House (note for ideation).