I don't see what is so controversial about this. Please expand Muffin, I am interested to know your thoughts. For the reasons I described earlier, far fewer black people have broken into the middle and upper-middle classes. This is a historical factor. Privilege and wealth are entrenched and handed down in this country - just as poverty and social exclusion is, irrespective of race. The relatively small black middle class in Britain show this country up for its lack of social mobility in general. Put simply, if you're born into poverty in Britain you'll probably stay poor, whether you're white or black. Sad but true. Secondly, young black males' lack of role models. I think it's really sad that people won't address the cultural issues here for fear of being seen as un-pc. For as long as we ignore the elephant in the drawing room, too many black boys will continue to be drawn into a miserable life of crime. This is not racist; it is the very opposite in fact. We are talking about cultural and historical factors here that have their root in the evils of colonialism and slavery.