In this powerful conversation, I speak with Dr Sol Gamsu, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Durham University and co-founder of the Labour Against Private Schools campaign, about the deep roots of elitism and inequality in the British education system — and why it’s time to abolish Eton.

Dr Gamsu’s research reveals stark disparities: at Marlborough College, income per pupil reaches £64,000 per year, compared to £5,500 in nearby state schools.

These inequalities aren’t just economic — they’re cultural and psychological, shaping who holds power and whose voices matter.

“The British ruling class has been reproducing itself through elite schools for 150 years,” Gamsu explains. “Education should be about potential, not privilege.”

We explore how the charitable status of private schools — originally intended to educate the poor — now protects the wealthy, and how the Labour Party’s 2019 motion to integrate private schools into the state system was a historic turning point.

Dr Gamsu also shares insights from his ongoing research on the colonial and slave-trade origins of many elite schools, and how these institutions still carry that legacy today — in both wealth and worldview.

Together we discuss:

• The economic and moral case for reform
• How inequality is reinforced by architecture, networks, and “old boys’” privilege
• The link between elitism, trauma, and emotional disconnection in leadership
• Practical steps for change — from ending charitable status to forming local education equity groups



As Dr Gamsu reminds us, “If we want a more compassionate, equal society, we must challenge the education system that keeps it divided.”