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Aimed at the Wrong People?

(365 Posts)
Jalima1108 Mon 26-Jun-17 16:27:31

Was Jeremy Corbyn's speech at Glastonbury aimed at the wrong people?

The well-heeled and privileged people who paid £238 each for their tickets, teepees or glamping extra, running into the thousands of £, cheering him on and lauding him are not the disaffected living in poverty whom he champions. Do they not see the irony in this as they go back to their middle-class comfortable lives, recycling their rubbish and urging us to 'look after the planet'.

This is from last year but I am sure it is just the same this year. Brand-new tents left behind, mounds of rubbish to be cleared up by others - who cares who clears it as long as they don't have to soil their own hands. Someone will do it - probably on a wage less than a quarter of what most of them will earn.

'Takers of the system' as the commentary says:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=y70LCoK-XMA

And the fence - the fence!! Perhaps Donald Trump could take a lesson on how to build a huge fence to keep out the hoi-polloi, the less than desirable who cannot afford a ticket.

Who said that Glastonbury is 'The Most Bourgeois Festival on the Planet'? Was it someone from Iron Maiden? Can't remember now but I do remember someone mentioning it.

Oh, the irony.
Obviously Jeremy Corbyn didn't understand that, nor did the crowds he was addressing.

durhamjen Mon 26-Jun-17 19:45:18

Yes, trisher, that's how mine got to see the bands.
I wouldn't have called them deprived, or even poor, but their friends did it when we lived in Hampshire, so they did, too.

MamaCaz Mon 26-Jun-17 19:41:52

I was told by DH2, (who definitely wasn't wealthy when he went to Glastonbury) that you have to walk several miles with all your camping gear to reach the site, so regular attenders go with cheap gear that can be ditched. On a typical festival weekend, everything ends up too wet and mud-caked to ever be used again, and twice as heavy as it was at the start of the weekend! Not condoning it, but just explaining the reasoning as it was put to me.

As for Corbyn preaching at the wrong audience, surely it's a good thing that a politician doesn't just aim to appeal to a single demographic.

trisher Mon 26-Jun-17 19:31:34

Lets not forget that one way poor kids get to see festivals is by clearing up afterwards. It isn't ideal and it isn't well paid but there are compensations. Mine did it and complained loudly about the way some of the supervisors treated them, but if no-one had left a mess they wouldn't have gone at all.
Surely it is these people that Corbyn needs to win over isn't it? Isn't the situation that Labour needs more middle class southern votes to win an election?

Eloethan Mon 26-Jun-17 19:16:49

It was only a few weeks ago that Corbyn and the Labour Party were accused of concentrating too much on the "have nots". Now it seems he is being criticised for the opposite. Let's face it, whatever he does will be pulled apart by some people.

I expect the older people dancing around at Glastonbury are a good deal healthier and happier than those kill joys sitting at home grumbling.

Iam64 Mon 26-Jun-17 18:54:45

Oh for an edit button - my point is that by speaking at Glastonbury, Corbyn n was hitting his target audience,
My 30 plus children and their friends have all caught Corbyn mania. Not because of the offer of student fees being abolished, they're all still paying off student loans alongside mortgage/rent/childcare etc. It's because they want a fairer society.

Iam64 Mon 26-Jun-17 18:51:00

The latest youguv analysis suggests that higher the level of education, the more likely the individual is to vote Labour.
Yes roses, many do complain about the level of tax they pay. Amongst my family and friendship group, everyone would be fine with paying more tax to fund better public services. The evidence fro Northern European countries who pay high taxes, is they have better public services than we do. They also use less illegal drugs, have lower prison population and lower rates of teenage pregnancy.
As for the number of tents etc left behind, I agree if you take a tent, either take it home or drop it off at recycling place. Manchester's tent city was set up by homeless people but soon dismantled so I don't see giving tents to the homeless as a solution.

whitewave Mon 26-Jun-17 18:31:40

Sorry ana?

Ana Mon 26-Jun-17 18:30:03

So's that - 'I love a good jig'...grin

whitewave Mon 26-Jun-17 18:27:50

Blimey * nellie* don't you dance at parties or dinner dances or even tea dances grin

I love a good jig. That is a terribly ageist remark you know

nigglynellie Mon 26-Jun-17 18:24:23

I only saw a little of this jamboree on the news, and while the music is not and never has been my c.o.t, The sight of those elderly rockers (some nearly my age!!) is almost sad! Surely there must be be younger talent?!! Poor souls, I hope they weren't too exhausted! Nothing more yukky than an elderly hippy!!
I totally agree with the amount of garbage left by these festivals goers, all to be picked up by someone else. Surely these middle class folk have been taught to clear up after themselves or does the cleaning lady do it where they come from? I thought they cared deeply for the planet?
Very perplexing!

rosesarered Mon 26-Jun-17 18:02:09

Not strange at all, I don't watch Glasto, it has become full of older singers and bands and sound quality always seems poor.
The clip I saw of McDonnell was on the news, and I certainly wasn't watching it willingly.grin just didn't get away in time.

Ana Mon 26-Jun-17 17:57:15

What seems strange is that you are completely ignoring the matter of debris left behind by the entitled types that attended the festival.

And you so keen on supporting the poor and deprived...

durhamjen Mon 26-Jun-17 17:53:21

Not at all, kittylester. The more Tories listen to John McDonnell the better. Don't you think it seemed strange that that was all roses saw of Glastonbury?

sunseeker Mon 26-Jun-17 17:47:49

Some is recycled but first it all has to be collected. There are homeless shelters all over the country, how difficult would it be for the festival goers to take it to their nearest shelter, after all they carried it all to the site why can't they carry it away.

rosesarered Mon 26-Jun-17 17:44:13

Do they just throw it all away then?

sunseeker Mon 26-Jun-17 17:36:26

According to Glastonbury Festival website it costs around £780,000 to clear up the rubbish after a festival. If the festival goers took their rubbish home, or donated unwanted tents, sleeping bags etc. to a homeless shelter, a large part of that money could go to the charities the festival supports.

kittylester Mon 26-Jun-17 17:28:12

Is it forbidden to listen to him unless one supports him? Surely it's a good thing to listen to all views however misguided they might be!

durhamjen Mon 26-Jun-17 17:10:49

Why were you watching McDonnell anyway? Just so you could criticise?

durhamjen Mon 26-Jun-17 17:09:34

Is that all you saw, roses?
Never mind.

durhamjen Mon 26-Jun-17 17:08:55

I have a cup of mint tea in front of me, having just come back from the hairdresser's.

rosesarered Mon 26-Jun-17 17:07:43

From the bit I saw on TV, which was McDonnell speaking, the applause was weak considering how many thousands were there, so not all festival goers were fans of either man.

durhamjen Mon 26-Jun-17 17:07:33

The video said that it was left by about a quarter of the people there. That leaves three quarters who are responsible people.
As far as the fence is concerned, if my kids were there I would be pleased at that amount of securtiy after what happened in Manchester.

whitewave Mon 26-Jun-17 17:06:50

I already have the kettle on * rig*

Rigby46 Mon 26-Jun-17 17:06:07

Yep another goady thread based on so many false premises it's best just to go and have a cup of tea - just my opinion of course,

rosesarered Mon 26-Jun-17 17:04:28

Is it alright that moany threads are exclusively left wing ones? we have so many of those!