The Aporia
Heffer, G. (2026, September 9). Tories say white working-class boys 'don't need another Labour quango lecturing them' as Government sets up new Whitehall unit to push 'socioeconomic duty' on public bodies. Daily Mail. https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16117085/Tories-say-white-working-class-boys-dont-need-Labour-quango-lecturing-Government-sets-new-Whitehall-unit-push-socioeconomic-duty-public-bodies.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
Heffer, Greg. “Tories say white working-class boys 'don't need another Labour quango lecturing them' as Government sets up new Whitehall unit to push 'socioeconomic duty' on public bodies.” Daily Mail, 9 Sept. 2026, https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16117085/Tories-say-white-working-class-boys-dont-need-Labour-quango-lecturing-Government-sets-new-Whitehall-unit-push-socioeconomic-duty-public-bodies.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490.
Heffer, Greg. “Tories say white working-class boys 'don't need another Labour quango lecturing them' as Government sets up new Whitehall unit to push 'socioeconomic duty' on public bodies.” Daily Mail, September 9, 2026. https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16117085/Tories-say-white-working-class-boys-dont-need-Labour-quango-lecturing-Government-sets-new-Whitehall-unit-push-socioeconomic-duty-public-bodies.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490.
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The British government is setting up a new unit in Whitehall to address socioeconomic inequalities, which will impose a "socioeconomic duty" on public bodies, requiring them to consider how to improve the lives of lower-income families. This move is part of a broader overhaul of the equalities agenda led by Bridget Phillipson, the equalities minister. The new unit will sit alongside other units focused on race, gender, LGBT and disability rights, and will be responsible for data analysis on class and socioeconomic background. The Social Mobility Commission, which was established in 2010, is expected to close as part of these plans. The Tories have criticized the move, with some arguing that it will involve "another Labour quango lecturing" white working-class boys, who they claim don't need such support. However, the government's reforms aim to place social class on a par with other protected characteristics like sex and race for the first time.