re: the sneering condescension of its tones.
You mean people like James Campbell in the TLS? That sounds to me like a spent force, feeble moans from a redundant enclave. The tremendous outburst of young poets (some writing old poetry) in recent years has been dominated by working-class people insofar as you can make the distinction. And anyway what about Ted Hughes? No one condescended to him: it would be impossible, you'd get swept away by the blast of his Yorkshire accent.
Of course the middle-class still give the prizes: they've got the money.
