Playwright Alan Bennett , who has said that England is a nation of hypocrites and that English are 'better than all the rest ' at setting double standards . We are a nation famed the world over for conquest , industry – and of course a good cup of tea . But according to playwright Alan Bennett , what England really excels at is ‘ hypocrisy. ’ The writer made the astonishing attack as part of a milestone series celebrating the 50th anniversary of BBC Radio 4 ’ s World at One . In each edition , the participants are asked to nominate what they believe to be one of Britain ’ s world-class achievements . Mr Bennett , 80 , said he toyed with the idea of suggesting the National Trust , medieval churches or the impressive landscape of Swaledale . But in an interview with Martha Kearney , to be broadcast today , he says he believes that what the English are ‘ better than all the rest ’ at is setting double standards . He said : ‘ In England , what we do best is lip service . Take London ; we extol its beauty and its dignity while at the same time we ’ re happy to sell it off to the highest bidder . Or highest builder . We glory in Shakespeare yet we close our public libraries . ‘ A substantial minority of our children receive a better education than the rest because of the social situation of the parents . ‘ Then we wonder why things at the top do not change or society improve . But we know why . It ’ s because we are hypocrites. ’ He went on to claim that too often , the English are lazy in their assumptions that problems which affect other countries do not exist in their own , saying : ‘ Our policemen are wonderful , provided you ’ re white and middle class and don ’ t take to the streets . ‘ And dying in custody is what happens in South America . It doesn ’ t happen here. ’ He added : ‘ A memorable phrase in Hamlet , and one of the few that hasn ’ t been picked up as a quotation or a title for something else , is when Claudius is arranging for Hamlet to be arrested and executed when he gets to our shores . As part of his explanation , the writer says that policeman in England are wonderful , 'provided you 're white and middle class and do n't take to the streets ' ( file picture ) And in his letter he says ; “ Do it England ” . And we say we do it , or we ’ re going to do it , but we don ’ t . Scotland does it . And Wales . But not England. ’ He was careful not to exempt himself from his own criticism , saying : ‘ Before you stampede for the Basildon Bond , or rather skitter for the Twitter , I must say that I don ’ t exempt myself from these strictures . How should I ? I am English , I am a hypocrite. ’ In January the World at One heard nominations from the Prime Minister David Cameron and Leader of the Opposition , Ed Miliband and other party leaders . World at One was first broadcast on 4 October 1965 on the Home Service and was presented by William Hardcastle .
Writer made attack on England in series on BBC Radio 4 's World at One . Says that English are 'better than all the rest ' at setting double standards . Added what the country really excels at is 'hypocrisy ' rather than industry . But says he does n't exempt himself from criticism and adds he too is English and a 'hypocrite '