Peter Saunders personal website

The following are extracts taken from unsolicited letters, emails, articles and comments on this or other websites. Where comments were published in the public domain they are fully attributed. Where comments were made in personal communications, the identity of the correspondent has been withheld to safeguard their privacy. If you wish to make a comment, please use the contact page.

KEEP IT COMING: "Just a note of thanks for your work in debunking "The Spirit Level". Tonight I am off to my monthly book group meeting of prospect readers,The Spirit Level being the book in question. Thanks to Christopher Snowdon's book and your online presentations I will have ample ammunition with which to make a room of leftist intellectuals squirm a little. Many thanks for your work, keep it coming!" (website comment, 17 January 2012)

SERIAL LIAR: "You claim to have debunked 'The Spirit Level' yet you repeatedly claim in your online articles and on the ABC's Counterpoint program that Wilkinson and Pickett don't acknowledge higher suicide rates in more equal societies. Yet the third paragraph on page 175 of the 2010 Penguin edition of the book clearly and overtly addresses this matter. Why should I trust someone who is either so sloppy a scholar as this or simply a serial liar? Is your case so weak that you need to spice it up in this way?" (website comment, 6 January 2012; This complaint is unwarranted - see p.101 of Beware False Prophets where I write: "Wilkinson and Pickett themselves recognise that suicide tends to be ‘more common in more equal countries.’")

ABSOLUTELY SUPERB: "I have just listened to the interview you did about The Spiriit Level. Absolutely superb" (website comment, 29 December 2011)

FANTASTIC AND USEFUL: "I have just finished Rise of the Equalities Industry. What a fantastic and useful little book. You have managed to un-pack the cockamamie legislation and present hard data together with the faulty and fanatical ideology that underpins them. Bravo. Your style is sober yet compelling. I will be buying and distributing copies to friends and enemies.... Would be wonderful if 'Rise' made it into the mainstream bookshops. I hope it generates some acrimonious debates on radio 4. Congratulations and Thanks Again" (website comment, 20 December 2011)

EXCELLENT CRITIQUE: "I am writing to you after reading your excellent critique on the Equalities Industry. It is refreshing to hear such a voice from academica... This legislation is illiberal and totally counterproductive to what a free society should be." (website comment from student, 17 December 2011)

DEVASTATING: "I have just read 'The Rise of the Equalities Industry'; it is devastating. I hope that as many MPs as possible can find the time to read and inwardly digest it" (website comment from Liberal Democrat activist, 16 December 2011)

SANE VOICE: "I look forward to reading more of your work. Always good to encounter a sane voice in a mad world" (website comment prompted by publication of The Rise of the Equalities Industry, 28 November 2011)

PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS: "If this is the quality of your thinking it is profoundly interesting how you managed to become a Professor. Maybe partly a result of social connections. Also is this really about a professor who feels uncomfortable around anyone who us not upper or upper middle class. Take it from me a psychologist would have a very interesting thing to say about your psychological make up" (website comment on my work on social mobility and intelligence, 11 October 2011)

VERY INTERESTED: "I was very interested to read your personal story as a sociologist who turned from left to right [article published in Sociological Research Online, 31 August]. I think it deserves a wider audience." (email received 2 September)

GREAT ARTICLE: "Fantastic analysis Peter - great article, keep up the GOOD work!" (Neil Innes, comment on my article on the riots, posted on The Australian website, 15 August 2011)

TALKS COMMON SENSE: "Good Heavens! An academic who talks common sense. Who'da thunk?" (Gee Jay, comment on my article on the riots, posted on The Australian website, 15 August 2011)

GREAT ARTICLE: "Thank you for a great article, Peter" (Max, comment on my article on the riots, posted on The Australian website, 15 August 2011)

LIKED YOUR ARTICLE: "I rather liked your article [in The Australian, 1 July]... Your proposals should be considered, and hopefully acted upon, by the next Liberal Government" (email sent via CIS, 16 July 2011)

COMPLETELY TRUE: "I have recently read your book published by CIVITAS,'Social Mobility Myths,' and I cannot agree more. From my own socioeconomic background and experiences, what you say is completely true... I have thought all this for a long time and was glad that someone in the academic community has documented it. This is why I have written to you. I look forward to reading more of your works in the future" (website comment from York University student, 25 June 2011)

INSPIRING: "I was at the CIS talk last night listening to your presentation. To say it left me speechless is an understatement. Prior to your talk, I really felt I understood so much more than I apparently did... my thanks for inspiring me to finally understand why understanding statistics is so important" (website comment from mature student following my CIS talk on The Spirit Level, 7 June 2011)

ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL: "I saw your talk at CIS today. You were absolutely wonderful. I will tell people all about it" (email following CIS talk on The Spirit Level, 7 June 2011)

AN OLD-FASHIONED TORY: "I’ve read quite a bit of Saunders on welfare. He’s a good, thought-provoking analyst in this area. But he also has a very harsh, punitive attitude to people on welfare – a lot of stick, and little carrot, to get the donkey moving. I don’t think he’s a liberal or libertarian – he strikes me as more of an old-fashioned Tory. That said, it would be good to have him contributing to the debate again" (comment pasted by Piett at http://catallaxyfiles.com/2011/05/17/come-back-peter-saunders/, 18 May)

WILLING TO SPEAK THE TRUTH: "Just to say that I fully agree with what you said on the programme. Thank God there are people like you in the world who are willing to speak the truth. The BBC are truly incompetent at presenting evidence." (website comment regarding BBC Today interview on the importance of talent, received 17 May)

EXCELLENT WRITING: "Congratulations on all your excellent writing and media performances. Keep on fighting" (website comment, 9 May 2011)

TRENCHANT CRITICISMS: "Peter Saunders and others have made some very trenchant criticisms [of The Spirit Level] which are evidence based and analytically strong, while the response from Richard Wilkinson et al has been unconvincing and often inappropriate. What is really surprising is the extent to which Professor Dorling and his colleagues on the old state socialist left have circled the wagons in defence of such a weak thesis. Apparently, they so much want to believe the conclusions drawn by Wilkinson and Picket that they are prepared to set aside academic rigour and scrutiny - their mode of thinking appears to be closer to religion than it does to science" (David Wainwright, Bath University, post on Guardian website in response to podcast on inequality, 27 April 2011)

RIDICULOUS AND JUDGEMENTAL: "I was really disappointed in the article "Society in pyjamas". Is wearing pyjamas in public really where Mr Saunders draws the line?... I think Mr Saunders is being ridiculous and judgemental and if he doesn't have something more interesting and relevant to write about, he shouldn't write at all" (email sent to CIS website, 15 April 2011)

FASCINATING: "Professor Peter Saunders...published a fascinating paper under the title: 'Social mobility myths'... Some sociologists dispute his findings and competence. Yet much of what he writes seems common sense" (Max Hastings, Financial Times, 8 April 2011)

BREATH OF FRESH AIR: "Hi. I saw you interviewed on TV recently and found your views a welcome breath of fresh air with which I totally agreed. I am Australian by birth although I have lived in the UK for most of my life. I found Sydney to be more socially divided by class than London! My family were working class but, via the magic of Grammar School and University i was upwardly mobile. My children have tended to move in the opposite direction! So what! Keep on telling the politicians the facts" (website comment, 6 April 2011)

AGREE WITH ALL YOUR COMMENTS: "Hello Professor Saunders I was listening to your review on Social Mobility on Sky News on 5/4/2011 and wanted to share with you that I agree with all your comments on the above subject." (website comment, 5 April 2011)

TWADDLE: "Your research is twadle, your are completely out of louch I am working class and have been through an elitest system of education where working class people have been objectivised and suffered from class racism and prejudice-in all walks of life my expierence has been that the uk is a class ridden and profoundly divided divisive sociaty- my research over the last twenty five years totally hammers the rubbish/ propaganda youve come out with from your privalleged position of a cushy academic seat etc etc- you are biast and you looked awful scruffy on sky tv but i suppose thats just another tactic !" (website comment, 5 April 2011)

REALLY ENCOURAGED: "I watched your feature on Sky News RE: Social Mobility for graduates getting into work. I was really encouraged by your position on the issue and in particular the research/ stats you mentioned" (website comment, 5 April 2011)

INSIGHTFUL AND CHALLENGING: "I hear you occasionally on radio, so I guess you are still in touch with Australia - you are always insightful and challenging." (email from editor of Australian online journal, 15 March 2011)

INITIALLY TAKEN ABACK: "I am a first year student in Sociology. Having briefly came in contact with some of your studies I was initially taken a back as I suppose many people are [but] I genuinely can see much merit in what you say. I have grown up in a area of much social and economic hardship but like you can recognise much of the welfare dependant lifestyle choices... please post some more." (YouTube message received 15 February 2011)

BEST ARTICLE IN RECENT TIMES: "Re: Telegraph 09-02-11: The best article written in recent times on this thorny subject - clear, comprehensive and sane" (website comment received 10 February 2011)

BRAINS AND COURAGE: "FINALLY! Finally someone has had the brains and courage to say this" (comment by 'philantony' on Daily Telegraph web site, 9 February 2011)

INCITEFUL ANALYSIS: "It is a breath of fresh air to read an incitful piece that cuts through the emotional clap trap that is spouted for fear of being politically inncorrect. Peter Sanders addresses the issue in a proper context with incitful analysis. Oh that all of the Telegraph reporting was of an equally high and also entertaining standard" (comment by 'paul_basel' on Daily Telegraph web site, 9 February 2011)

AT LAST SOMEONE SAYS IT: "Thank God for Peter Saunders! At last someone says it: intelligence and income (ergo social class) are correlated... Of course the middle classes are 'overrepresented'. It would be scandalous if they were not" (comment by 'timothyfj' on Daily Telegraph web site, 9 February 2011)

BRILLIANT ARTICLE: "This is a brilliant article, true, apposite, clear and well argued" (comment by 'dutch' on Daily Telegraph web site, 9 February 2011)

EXCELLENT ARTICLE: "An excellent article Mr Saunders. Most DT readers will agree with nearly every word, and you can see the bigger picture, which Clegg cannot... I really suggest this article is forwarded to Nick Clegg" (comment by 'understandingreality' on Daily Telegraph web site, 9 February 2011)

CLEAR COMMON SENSE: "Having just read your article in todays Daily Telegraph, I feel I must write to say well done! Good common sense is sadly lacking in so many aspects of government... Use your position and keep putting forward clear common sense. Unfortunately it may not be a vote winner" (website comment from retired CEO and company chairman, 9 February)

DEFIANT AND UNFAZED: "I proudly take my hat off to you Peter for so defiantly & unfazedly confronting a sanctimonious, manipulative interviewer with the self-evident facts of intelligence distribution which so offended his pre-ordained, cherished, visceral theology. We could do with more of that spirit" (website comment following BBC programme on social mobility, received 4 February)

MADE A FOOL OF YOURSELF: "i would urge you to exercise your brain before publicly making a fool of yourself" (website comment following BBC programme on social mobility, received 4 February)

INSULTING: "I found your comments insulting- I am the daughter of a factory worker who gained a 2:1, married to the son of a car mechanic who likewise gained a 2:1" (website comment 4 February, unwittingly confirming my argument that working class origins do not block bright people from getting on)

THANK YOU: "Thank you for pointing out the 'elephant in the room' in the BBC's "Who gets the best jobs" documentary... Whilst your comments on how more intelligent parents tend to have more intelligent children is deemed unacceptable, most people don't have a problem accepting that the children of musicians tend to be more musical, or the children of artists more artistic. This intellectual double-standard is astonishing... Thank you again for pointing out a most obvious, yet hardly ever spoken point" (website comment from psychologist, 3 February)

EMOTIONALLY NEUTRAL AND RATIONAL: "I would like to thank you for your appearance on the BBC2 Programme, 'Who Gets the Best Jobs'. I eagerly awaited the programme, but was sorely disappointed at its clearly-established agenda. I found the snippet of your interview particularly interesting. You appeared emotionally neutral to the opinions you delivered, a good sign of someone who is rational... Do not be discouraged" (website comment following BBC programme on social mobility, 3 February)

GOOD FOR YOU: "Good for you!!! for unashamedlly stating that ON AVERAGE the lower the socio-economic population have a lower intelligence. How can we understand disparities (let alone narrow them) if we don't confront blatant facts, however unpalatable?... Richard Bilton's self righteous, chip-on-the-shoulder, naive disapproval (with accompanying face-pulling searching for a guilt response) was head-in-the-sand reportage. I just had to write. Thank you" (website comment following BBC programme on social mobility, 3 February)

NOT AFRAID TO SPEAK UNPOPULAR TRUTHS: "Hi, Just to say that I completely agree with what you say about class and intelligence: it's simply logical. I suspect that you'll get a lot of negative criticism in connection with yesterday's BBC programme (and the appalled look of the interviewer) - I hope you won't let it get you down! I think society needs people like you: who are intelligent and also not afraid to speak unpopular truths in a simple manner, understandable for everyone" (website comment following BBC programme on social mobility, 3 February)

CHANGE PROFESSION: "I saw your comments on the BBC earlier and I suggest you consider changing profession because you are clearly struggling to assess basic evidence...I'm sure you have access to relevant journals so I recommend you get your head down, study hard and you might get on top of your subject... Regards Dr. [name removed] BSc, MSc, PhD, CPA, EPA, RPA" (website comment from academic, 2 Febuary 2011, following BBC programme on social mobility)

DISGUSTED: "I highly recommend you keep your opinions to yourself... My disgust at your statement is only paralleled by my disbelief that someone with your education and academic standing can hold, and share with the public, such an opinion. May I suggest you veto any such unfounded opinions you have on the subject purely to prevent other, more intelligent, academics from being tarred with the same brush as yourself" (website comment from academic, 2 February 2011, following BBC programme on social mobility)

SPOT ON: "You're spot on - I wouldn't be here if Britain was not a meritocracy. I often see more class issues here in Australia, though of course nobody would admit to it. I'm about half way through the book - very interesting" (Australian IT Executive, born and raised in Britain, commenting on Social Mobility Myths, email, 7 November 2010)

THAT RARE BEAST, A SENSIBLE SOCIOLOGIST: "An excellent recent pamphlet published by the think-tank Civitas shows that Britain is a much more socially mobile society than the Left admits. Its author [is] Professor Peter Saunders — that rare beast, a sensible sociologist." (Max Hastings, The Daily Mail, 30 October 2010)

ADMIRATION AND ENJOYMENT: "I recently re-read Social Mobility Myths with still more admiration and enjoyment (how many sociological studies can one say that of?) and some optimism that it may also have some useful practical consequences (ditto)... It almost makes me wish I were still teaching." (UK retired sociology lecturer, personal letter, 28 September 2010)

REFRESHING: "I wanted to say thank you for your demolition of Wilkinson and Pickett. For what its worth I think you've been remarkably restrained in responding to some of the outrageous comments they have made… Please keep fighting them - it is so refreshing to hear someone speaking out on these issues." (UK academic, email 26 August 2010)

ADMIRATION: "I heard your battle [BBC Radio Four Today programme interview, 17 August] and do admire how you managed… I wish you well in your worthy campaign," (UK Professor Emeritus, website comment 18 July 2010)

MAGNIFICENT: "Your pamphlet on "The Spirit Level" is magnificent. Congratulations on an excellent piece of work." (UK journalist, email 10 July 2010)

BRILLIANT AND DEVASTATING: "Just finished "Beware False Prophets", which is brilliant and devastating. It was doubly useful because I was quite impressed by the Spirit Level, not realising how completely cynical and manipulative academics like this can be. You have done us a major service with this piece." (UK national politician, email 9 July 2010)

ENJOYED: "I have been reading your new Civitas book on social mobility with much appreciation and some feeling of discomfort and, perhaps, guilt. Being an old leftie, and a fervent one in my youth, I found your observations and their attendant conclusions rather difficult to accept . But being an unreconstructed positivist I have had to face your evidence. I did enjoy your book" (UK retired academic, email, 18 June 2010)

ICONCLASM AT ITS BEST: "I have just finished reading 'Social Mobility Myths'...I was enormously impressed by the courage and dedication with which you have marked out these positions and systematically challenged the prevailing orthodoxy. It is iconoclasm at its best. We all owe you a debt of thanks" (UK retired academic, personal letter, 17 June 2010)

DEVASTATING: "'Poverty of Ambition' is the title of a devastating paper by the professor emeritus of sociology at Sussex University, Peter Saunders, and published by the Policy Exchange think tank. Saunders takes an intellectual wrecking ball to the Child Poverty Bill' (Dominic Lawson, The Sunday Times, 13 June 2010)

RIGOROUS RESPONSE: 'We don't know each other personally, but I just wanted to thank you for writing such an excellent new piece on social mobility for Civitas… For some time now I have been very disturbed by the sweeping claims that are made about the supposed collapse of social mobility on what always seemed like a negligible research base. Now, thanks to you, we have a rigorous response at our disposal. I can't say how much I admire your guts in standing up against such overwhelming odds in your discipline.' (UK academic, website comment 1 June 2010)

SUCCINCT: "I thought your talk was excellent. I have written singly or jointly a number of things in this area over the years. However, I have never managed to put the matter so succinctly and clearly as you did last night" (email from UK academic following Policy Exchange debate on family tax and benefits system, 5 February 2010)

FASCINATING PAPER: "Peter Saunders at Policy Exchange, in his fascinating paper Poverty of Ambition, points out…" (Lord Freud cites my work in House of Lords debate on the Child Poverty Bill, Lords Hansard, 19 Jan 2010 : Column GC147)