I was in council care, followed by a foster home. I was also educated at the local comp and FE college and achieved four A-grade A-levels. I did not apply to Oxbridge out of inverse snobbery.

Having gone through a red-brick university, achieving a first-class honours in chemistry and later a PhD, I am now a lecturer at Manchester University. I have never experienced animosity from colleagues and neithe was my background a hindrance to obtaining my position.

The article suggests that people learn to hate those who are public-school educated after having met them. I believe we learn to hate these people before we meet them. I was forced to reassess my own prejudices when I did meet them. The enormous chips we carry on our shoulders are a big hindrance to those of us from relatively disadvantaged backgrounds.

This article perpetuates the reasons for these chips and only further disadvantages the already disadvantaged.

Anthony Cook

Flat 2, 8 Wolseley Place, Withington,

Manchester