Does Working In McDonald's Make You Working Class? | Loose Women

Tory MP and Conservative leader hopeful Kemi Badenoch has ruffled feathers after saying she “became working class” when she started working in McDonald’s at 16 years old. It got us thinking, what does working class actually mean, and can you change your class? Linda and Denise are both proud of their working class roots and say that hasn’t changed with age or success, and Penny says that her hubby Rod still classifies as working class - going from rags to riches!

From series 27, broadcast on 19/09/24

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[jean]

It doesn’t matter where you work as long as you are contributing to society! Never let anyone judge you!

[lindamccracken]

Why does it matter? No one is any better than anyone else

[maeshellewest-davies]

As an American who move to uk, the class system was one of the things I noticed. It also really went both ways. People were amazed I had friends across the board and treated everyone the same.

[lavienestpasunlongfleuvetr]

Linda's wrong - Oprah Winfrey was born into the working class, but having been a millionaire and billionaire for decades, she can no longer claim to be 'working-class'.

[ethanjw]

You could be upperclass and have a job at McDonald’s that doesn’t make u working class

[murpburp]

People like Conor McGregor or Tyson Fury will always be working class and you can not say otherwise. Class has far more to do with how much money you’ve got in the bank.

[sophiebray]

No one talks about those that were born middle class but now live a working class life

[gazs]

I became an ambassador after eating a ferrero rocher

[ho]

As an American, I can say absolutely we have a class system. Poor, middle class, upper class, wealthy.... blue collar vs white collar... old money vs new money... geography can play a part... and the list goes on. There is the old saying "You can take the girl/boy out of the country but you can't take the country out of the girl/boy."

[ortheeimpossible]

No one on the panel, didnt answer the question correctly.

[Peaceandlove]

I was born into a middle class upbringing although my parents are both from working class families, we then had a period where we were working class and had very little, lived on council estate etc - during that time I always felt different to my friends who had very different homes, and went on holidays. We later went back to middle class, family bought a house, we had money for college etc so now even though I identify as middle class, I still understand the struggle of not having much which I think differs to some of my other middle class friends who often look down on working class and don’t relate to them. There seems to be a real trend now of middle and upper class people claiming to be working class because it makes them look more authentic or real, like when posh spice said her family were working class 🙄

[mariannehavisham]

You're born into a class but also your class can change. For example if you are homeless, long term unemployed and on benefits, occassionally need to use food banks, regularly need to use the shower in a soup kitchen because you don't have a working shower in the hostel, live in a hostel, don't have heating or a bed or curtains or blinds, and the lights in the bathroom are broken, are in poverty, and occassionally can't eat for days or can't get a train or bus and need to stay home, haven't been on holiday in 16 years, don't have a passport, but come from a middle class background -are you still middle class? (This is a real example)

[beverleydalton]

I have a friend who is a millionaire & he always says ' If you have to go to work then you are working class"
Need to get over yourself.

[Dog-bbhr]

a panelist on a morning TV show is upper-middle class to upper class, their salaries are quite high and they don‘t work long hours.

[Captainperfection]

Why would anybody ask this question its nonsensical, its like saying is working in a charity shop working class

[riderskater]

Depends on which culture you're from. In America we don't necessarily place social status on a individual's beginnings. Your current educational background or wealth will be weighted higher. Are you higher class if you don't have money or education, but your parents did? Probably not.

[rossellinirossicalrossc]

Why do people always say that America doesn’t have a class system? What exactly does that mean?

[sharonBarlow-oi]

working class me coming from East End which i love and we are the best

[thomasanders]

I'm a freethinker with working-class roots.:)

[lindanoble]

The class system is pointless. Judge people on their actions, not the earnings