In Queen Victoria's golden days
Which brought us peace and plenty
The peasantry all knew their place
And touched their hats to gentry.
For all things bright and beautiful
The Parson thanked God weekly
And workmen kneeling dutiful
Repeated Amen meekly.
And this is how Great Britain's run
Down to this very hour, sir.
The plebs may vote for anyone
But we'll be the people in power, sir.
The best of all we could afford
And not have to be clever.
We had an Empire there abroad
On which the sun set never.
With wogs, Babus and Blackamoors
Who all required a saviour
And so we taught them English laws
And public school behaviour.
And this is how Great Britain's run
Down to this very hour, sir.
The plebs may vote for anyone
But we'll be the people in power, sir.
We had some ill-bred Englishmen
Who dipped their bread in gravy.
We used to teach them discipline
Between decks in the navy.
And when some upstart blighter sought
To broach our Empire's border,
We'd send them to a foreign port
To re-establish order.
And this is how Great Britain's run
Down to this very hour, sir.
The plebs may vote for anyone
But we'll be the people in power, sir.
And when the news was brought one day
While we were shooting pheasants
The Empire is in disarray!
Revolt among the peasants.
Our upper lips were stiff as boards
We knew we were not beaten.
We made the Labour leaders lords
And sent their sons to Eton.
And this is how Great Britain's run
Down to this very hour, sir.
The plebs may vote for anyone
But we'll be the people in power, sir.
An interesting summary of the history of the British Labour Party and the last century or so of English "democracy", this was written in 1965 by John Brunner of South Petherton, and can be sung to the traditional English tune The Vicar of Bray. Of course, it only tells part of the story: while the first Labour Party leader came from a working background, once it was obvious that the party was electable, people from professional and landowning backgrounds have ever since used it as a route to power and have filled all of its leading positions. Unsurprisingly, in doing so they have ensured that the Labour Party continues to represent primarily professionals and landowners.