OVC, my impression of Stansted (Essex Radar) is that they are usually so busy with traffic they have to talk to, that they have little opportunity to talk to people outside the CTA who have the option of going round or staying outside.
If they do talk to power GA outside the CTA, it is usually to tell them to stay outside CAS. They may pass traffic info, if they have time.
Gliders (like me) get lowest priority - usually just a brusque "standby and stay outside CAS" followed by a long wait is usual.
I actually feel sorry for the ATCOs on Essex - Stansted Director and Tower seem much less busy (I sometimes monitor them just out of interest - I fly a lot near the CTA). And we only hear their RT - I gather they have to use the phone too at times, which sounds like silence on RT.
Chris N.