What's so funny about socially aspiring women?

The third and final series of Mum is currently airing on BBC2 and Pauline is proving to be as terrifyingly class-conscious as ever. Why do so many British sitcoms and novels centre around women who are obsessed with status? From Margot in The Good Life to Hyacinth Bucket, from Mrs Bennett to Becky Sharp - why are so many of our iconic female characters shameless social climbers? Jenni talks to television critic Julia Raeside and journalist and critic Alex Clark.