Underdogs: The Truth About Britain's White Working Class

by Joel Budd

A Financial Times Summer Read 2025
A BBC Radio 4 'Book of the Week'

'Essential reading' - Telegraph
'Not just well timed but admirably powerful' - The Guardian
'A calm, sensitive, soothingly sociological book' - The Sunday Times
'Will change how you see Britain' - Robert Ford, author of Brexitland
________

Underdogs is a surprising journey into the heart of the misunderstood white working class. And it might just change how you see Britain.

While Brexit helped to turn the white working class into a social and political force, in its aftermath one-third of the population has been reduced to a caricature. Portrayed as angry and hostile to change, as xenophobic, even racist, it’s a tired narrative favoured by both politicians and the press.

The truth is far more compelling.

In Underdogs, Economist journalist Joel Budd takes us across the UK, from the shores of Teesside to the Isle of Wight, from the Valleys of South Wales to the fields of Lincolnshire, talking with a diverse group of people about their jobs, their families and neighbourhoods, their struggles and hopes.

Offering an eye-opening corrective to the familiar stereotype, Budd discovers the white working class are not just grumbling about the transformation of Britain. With warmth and determination, they are pushing the country forward.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, British Literature, Audiobook

330 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 17, 2025

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

thanks to the publishers and netgalley for a free copy in return for an open and honest review.

This book looks at historic and demographics of the British working class detailed and uses case studies to highlight characters of different places within Britain where some have several problems ranging from several issues from poor housing, education and employment. The book attempts to discuss the modern white working class without trying to belittle them.

[Julie Hudson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Picador / Macmillan for the advanced reading copy.

This book shines a light on some of the towns in Britain that have the highest concentration of those classified as white British working class and investigates the characteristics and issues facing them.

From chapters about car modification and council estates to education and xenophobia, the author really presents an in depth and non-judgemental assessment of this societal group that are so often stereotyped and dismissed.

An interesting and enlightening read.

[Debby Binns · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to this on BBC Sounds - it was a very good description and a way of understanding the white working class of Great Britain - a group that is often dismissed.

[Francis Pellow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to the Radio 4 book of the week adaptation.
Even in the heavily abridged form this was very good. It challenged my dismissal of elements of working class culture with it's open approach.

[Jonathan Tench · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating. Makes a clear case on how white working class Britons exist (1 in 3 of us), are misunderstood, have varied opinions, are politically important and face specific problems from geography to education. It doesn’t downplay the specific problems working class people from other ethnic backgrounds face. Chapter on ventriloquized xenophobia, how political parties don’t reflect the growing social liberalism of young people from the working class, is especially good.

[R · Rating 4 out of 5]

This started out with a simple question about the working class but became quite a bit more about it- it went into a lot of different things I didn’t expect to hear about like car modifying culture in the Uk and things like the identities of various white ethnic groups. I particularly enjoyed the sections on council estates, cross migration (so going from one part of the UK to another) and the discussion about how figure heads such as Enoch Powell having had support from not just the working class- I like how pretty consistently the author has tried to dispel the narrative that only white working class “red wall” voters vote in favour of regressive anti immigration policies. Not all of us that are white and of a working class background are aggressive and dripping at the mouth about immigration and I appreciate somebody taking the time to do the research and discuss it in a relatively accessible way. I won’t lie the things that seem irrelevant did interest me on a sociological level anyways so it appealed to me in more than one way- it does answer its question but it also asks and answers a lot more weird and wonderful questions nobody thought of.

[Brian Gowthorpe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joel Budd is an economics editor at the Economist and a very experienced journalist, who enjoys nothing better than getting out and mixing it with people. He has a special interest in deprived areas that are often described as left behind. In this book he reports what he found out in Rhymney, Hartlepool, the Isle of Wight, Thetford, Wythenshawe, Peterborough and elsewhere.

He does not neglect academic research and statistics. His main thrust is that the UK is badly skewed: the wider London centred region and a smaller area round Edinburgh are successful and prosperous. Everywhere else performs poorly economically.

White working class people, the main focus of the book, are more varied and more complicated than the press and politicians characterised them. There is much more tolerance of immigrants than people are led to believe. But social housing remains a flashpoint. In multiple areas, there is a strong view that it was built for the then indigenous white working class. Their descendants should have first dibs. He has amusing and interesting chapters on customised cars and the dying profession of bank robbery.

Quite the best book I have read on this subject, much of what he says coincides with what I found working on urban regeneration on Merseyside.

[Callum Robert Inkster · Rating 1 out of 5]

The level of discussion in this book is entirely misguided due to his insistence that there is a delineation between working class and middle class. Despite the fact it is a struggle to give an "actual" definition of working class, due to the fact, such a delineation does not exist.

A neoliberal exploration of the ones they once called Chavs. With as many attacks against those he deems to be "leftwing", ie two famously "centrist" politicians of Tony Blair and Kier Starmer for their failures to address the needs of the white working class. With a slight undertone and hint of racism, such as attacking Trade Unions for "becoming" groups that protect multiple races not just white workers.

It reads like the "centrists" answer to Reforms focus on the white working class. The only positive being the good light to gives to this group, rather than the typical negative stigmatisation.

[giannis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic well researched book speaking about issues that most people would avoid even thinking of. The author touches subjects like ethnicity and class in avery well mannered way, in order to promote political directions that help people in need, rather than sticking to stereotypes and promoting hatred.

Each chapter is focusing on a certain part of British white working class daily life, from education, family and politics to modified cars and moving out of your parents home (or not).

A perfect mixture of statistics, social books references and interviews of people that really shade the light to fully understand the past the present and the proper action for the future (last chapter).

A great read for sure and my big respect to the author, he really seems like he knows what he does and I would love to see the policymakers take his insights seriously.

[Mauricio Alencar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read and the topic is very timely. It was a really good overview of problems which white working class Britons face. The book was at its best when it was contextualising data through stories and anecdotes. It was not as strong when the author brought his own argument and theories into play. His own thoughts on immigration are generally unoriginal and slightly dismissive of some of the real impacts at times / lacked deeper analysis. But definitely worth reading and brings important issues to light in sensible way

[Nicholas Lim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thought-provoking, stimulating and thoroughly absorbing take on the UK, post Brexit. It's a journey through the country, bringing to life the experiences and perspectives of local people. Personal narratives are combined with analysis. The result is both entertaining and enlightening, shedding light on complex social shifts. Not a JD Vance-style Hillbilly Elegy, Budd focuses more on systemic and historical causes, and offers potential paths forward.

[MR K P WRIGHT · Rating 5 out of 5]

A superbly constructed examination of modern British society

This work unravels so many of the questions pertaining to modern British society, not just the white working class that it sets out to explore.
The impacts of policy from the Second World War to modern day are analysed in depth, and without bias or prejudice. No-one comes out smelling of roses, but it gives the reader a deeper understanding of what modern Britain is all about.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall interesting - helps dispel a few myths around the modern working class in Britain, especially their politics and concerns.

Teesside featured fairly heavily, which was interesting to read about.

At times the book meandered a little, but overall followed the theme that parliament (and many others beside) has largely misunderstood and misrepresented a large portion of the population.

[Abigail Rickard · Rating 3 out of 5]

The proof I read was missing a whole chapter (chapter 10) 🤨

Interesting exploration of class in the UK. It’s focus did meander at times - which I believe was the authors intention since the central thesis is that the white working class is not homogeneous.
Very readable, not to academic, even had some pretty funny bits 😚

[Louis Marshfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think 3 stars is a little harsh, would be a 3.5. Very analytical on the struggles of the working class, where I was looking for more of a why these stereotypes and conditions have happened. Really enjoyed the very niche topics presented in each chapter. The last two chapters were very very good. The conclusion of why class politics is dying rang so true. Would deffo recommend.

[Kevin McAvoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started off with a bang but got bogged down half way through. The sections on car modifiers and bank robbers were a strange tangent only slightly related to the topic of the working class. Covers a lot of ground though and does deliver plenty of insights. Worth my time.

[Philip Talmage · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of good stuff but short on stats - so you have to rely on his interpretation. And, somehow, he has managed to avoid writing much about the enormous effects of immigration in recent decades and how it has impacted the White Working Class especially.

[Pam Keevil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent detailed exploration of the idea behind and evidence of a White working class in the UK today. well researched with plenty of data as well as examples to bring the data alive.

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting, well researched, well written and surprisingly optimistic.

[Peter Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sobering and persuasive read.

[Gillian Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this deep dive into white working class. It was well-researched, well-written and current. I learned a lot.
8/10

[Jason Buckley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it

[Elizabeth Mohr · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was a good chapter on parenting but apart from that, for me, book had too many statistics and facts and not nearly enough about how people live

[Maria Lyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. It isn’t a difficult read, but explores some underreported elements of different people’s experience of 20th-21st century Britain. If I have a criticism, I would say that it’s very English (as opposed to devolved nations) focussed - and that the author may have teased some quite different references and thoughts from spreading his net and interviews north and west.

[Stacey Mckeogh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great look at Britain's working class and what made them think the way they do, what gave them their identity and how they are often underestimated. I identified with so much of what was included here and could see a lot of my own community. I really enjoyed this book.

[Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

spotted in a best non-fiction book article. On the library waiting list.

Boring, didn't feel it was going anywhere. Returned to the library.