By . Tom McTague, Deputy Political Editor for MailOnline . and Jason Groves - Deputy Political Editor, Daily Mail . International Development Secretary Justine Greening has called for more working class Cabinet ministers . David Cameron would benefit from having more ministers who have stacked shelves in supermarkets, a Cabinet member said last night. The International Development Secretary Justine Greening suggested social mobility championed by Margaret Thatcher had been ‘diluted’ in recent years – and may have gone into reverse. Miss Greening, the daughter of a Rotherham steelworker, is one of the few working-class voices in the Cabinet. She told The Spectator magazine that working-class Tories ‘know how it feels to be slightly locked out of the system’. Miss Greening, who was an accountant before joining the Commons in 2005, revealed that her first job was at a branch of Morrisons. Asked if she would like to see more former supermarket workers in government, she said: ‘Yes, I would. I think it’s really important.’ She suggested her humble origins gave her a better understanding of the struggle faced by millions of people. Miss Greening said: ‘The harshest economic lesson I had was the day my dad became unemployed … I know what it is like to grow up knowing you are not starting in the best place, or that other people are having a better start than you are … it’s about understanding what it’s like to start from scratch more.’ Miss Greening did not comment on the upbringing of Mr Cameron and other leading Cabinet members, such as Chancellor George Osborne and Nick Clegg. But her comments will add to criticism that the Prime Minister relies too heavily on privileged advisers and ministers. It will also fuel concerns that the Tory leadership has failed to do enough to champion social mobility. Miss Greening said: ‘Margaret Thatcher’s message to me was, it doesn’t matter where you come from, this is a country where the effort you put in will mean you can get the reward out of it … Over the years that message has been diluted. ‘My biggest concern is that we are ending up with a country where … people are on different ladders. You might start at the bottom of a short ladder that will only get you so high. ‘What we need to recreate is one ladder that everyone can climb up.’ Miss Greening warned there was a danger the doors would ‘close back’ on young people’s aspirations unless ministers put social mobility at the top of the agenda. Mr Cameron has repeatedly insisted that improving social mobility is a priority. But he admitted last year there was a need to go ‘further and faster’. Last year Sir John Major described the dominance of a small private school elite as ‘truly shocking’. Mr Cameron insisted the Government had made ‘some progress’ on social mobility, but conceded that it was ‘still a problem’. Alan Milburn, the Government’s social mobility tsar, said last week that companies should be told to declare the social background of their workforce to combat a ‘deeply elitist’ culture at the top of public life. Privately-educated David Cameron and George Osborne were dismissed as 'two posh boys who don't know the price of milk' by Tory MP Nadine Dorries .
International Development Secretary said her first job was in a supermarket .
Ms Greening claimed it is getting harder for poor children to get to the top .
She said it was 'really important' for ministers to understand ordinary life .
David Cameron and George Osborne were once ridiculed as 'two posh boys'
By . Tom McTague, Deputy Political Editor for MailOnline . and Jason Groves - Deputy Political Editor, Daily Mail . International Development Secretary Justine Greening has called for more working class Cabinet ministers . David Cameron would benefit from having more ministers who have stacked shelves in supermarkets, a Cabinet member said last night. The International Development Secretary Justine Greening suggested social mobility championed by Margaret Thatcher had been ‘diluted’ in recent years – and may have gone into reverse. Miss Greening, the daughter of a Rotherham steelworker, is one of the few working-class voices in the Cabinet. She told The Spectator magazine that working-class Tories ‘know how it feels to be slightly locked out of the system’. Miss Greening, who was an accountant before joining the Commons in 2005, revealed that her first job was at a branch of Morrisons. Asked if she would like to see more former supermarket workers in government, she said: ‘Yes, I would. I think it’s really important.’ She suggested her humble origins gave her a better understanding of the struggle faced by millions of people. Miss Greening said: ‘The harshest economic lesson I had was the day my dad became unemployed … I know what it is like to grow up knowing you are not starting in the best place, or that other people are having a better start than you are … it’s about understanding what it’s like to start from scratch more.’ Miss Greening did not comment on the upbringing of Mr Cameron and other leading Cabinet members, such as Chancellor George Osborne and Nick Clegg. But her comments will add to criticism that the Prime Minister relies too heavily on privileged advisers and ministers. It will also fuel concerns that the Tory leadership has failed to do enough to champion social mobility. Miss Greening said: ‘Margaret Thatcher’s message to me was, it doesn’t matter where you come from, this is a country where the effort you put in will mean you can get the reward out of it … Over the years that message has been diluted. ‘My biggest concern is that we are ending up with a country where … people are on different ladders. You might start at the bottom of a short ladder that will only get you so high. ‘What we need to recreate is one ladder that everyone can climb up.’ Miss Greening warned there was a danger the doors would ‘close back’ on young people’s aspirations unless ministers put social mobility at the top of the agenda. Mr Cameron has repeatedly insisted that improving social mobility is a priority. But he admitted last year there was a need to go ‘further and faster’. Last year Sir John Major described the dominance of a small private school elite as ‘truly shocking’. Mr Cameron insisted the Government had made ‘some progress’ on social mobility, but conceded that it was ‘still a problem’. Alan Milburn, the Government’s social mobility tsar, said last week that companies should be told to declare the social background of their workforce to combat a ‘deeply elitist’ culture at the top of public life. Privately-educated David Cameron and George Osborne were dismissed as 'two posh boys who don't know the price of milk' by Tory MP Nadine Dorries .
said last night. The International Development Secretary Justine Greening suggested social her first job was at a branch of Morrisons. Asked think it’s really important.’ She suggested her culture at the top of public life. Privately-educated David Cameron and George Osborne were dismissed as 'two posh boys who