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It's official: the working class exist

James Burleigh
Saturday 22 February 2003 01:00 GMT

The working class is still among us but its ability to live in Chelsea has received a serious setback.

The Earl of Cadogan became an unlikely hero for the proletariat when his attempt to convince the High Court that there was such a thing as the toiling masses was upheld yesterday. The Earl, 64, had tried to stop Dano Ltd from building four luxury houses on land just off the King's Road originally sold to provide homes for the "working classes". His lawyers said a 74-year-old covenant prevented the development. Dano said it was invalid as the term "working classes" was no longer capable of any meaningful definition.

Mr Justice Etherton ruled in favour of Dano because the Cadogan estate is now in a different form. But there was still "a sufficient number of people who would undoubtedly fall within the expression 'working classes'."

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