Oh no - another festival right after the election!

[maclauk]

With UKIP, the Tories and Labour all supporting Brexit one hope is that the three of them split the pro-Brexit vote, leaving the Libdems, Greens and SNP to pick up the anti-Brexit tactical vote. Sorry, but I'm not voting for a pro-Brexit Labour.

[garc1a]

Politics is a huge part of glastonbury and for many, including myself, why we go. 

More of that sort of thing!

Edited April 18, 2017 by garc1a

[waterfalls212434]

2 hours ago, eastynh said:

There has never ever been a Tory MP where I live. The Tories don't even bother with their propaganda or knocking on houses. In fact they should save themselves the money and not bother putting up a candidate.

problem with my area is the opposite is true, labour didnt even bother at the last election, certainly never got any pr from them, tory strong seat, we have a lot of selfish pensioners down here in cornwall who dont care about anything other then their own property prices being protected and stupid enough to believe sheryl murray when she tells them she gives a shit

[H.M.V]

3 hours ago, billum said:

Sorry to post this a second time (I put it in the Don't Vote Tory thread), but this crowd, set up in memory of Jo Cox, are doing a good job of assessing who the best moderate opposition to the right-wing parties (such as Tory & UKIP) is likely to be in marginal seats, usually it'll be Labour, Lib-dem, or Greens. It then puts its weight behind the campaign on their behalf, to try to stop the moderate vote being spread too thinly and the right-wing getting in by default. Worked well in Stoke-on-Trent in Feb!

http://www.moreunited.uk/

Minimum donation of a tenner on that site so cant get any further for information. What's the deal? 

[parsonjack]

2 hours ago, Gnomicide said:

If nothing else, Brexit made for a cracking Bragg gig in Leftfield last year. If you could have bottled the feeling in that crowd last year, Billy would be king of the world now.

Too right....I was there too, at the barrier front centre....there were points that if he'd ask me to march on Whitehall that moment I would have followed him there.

Praying he won't clash with Radiohead this year.....

[kalifire]

I wonder if Corbyn will be party leader by Glastonbury? 

[stuartbert two hats]

6 minutes ago, kalifire said:

I wonder if Corbyn will be party leader by Glastonbury? 

More to the point, I wonder if any bookies are taking bets.  

[kalifire]

2 hours ago, waterfalls212434 said:

The tory party are just doing to much damage, they need to be gone, booted out, kicked to the curb.....then we can worry about what happens after. 

This incoherent Tory bashing is why the left always loses. Who is going to vote for your cause who's not already part of it? Nobody outside of politics is persuaded by tactical voting. Not a single one. The left is preaching to its own naval. 

That's not to say the left should chase after popularism either. But it needs to do a much better job at presenting a coherent, believable future that people can envisage. The problem right now is that the left exists to serve itself. It can't see the wood for the trees. The Labour Party membership is bigger than ever so the Corbyn nucleas is delighted. Except that number is statistically insignificant so it's irrelevant. Corbyn et al can't seem to see past it. 

[Wickedfaerie]

5 hours ago, Mr.Tease said:

Unfortunately not everyone lives as fortunate a life as you, so as hard as it is for you to listen to these debates, a lot of people are greatly affected by their outcomes.

Anyone who works for the NHS, social services and on mental health will tell you the harm being done and what is in store if changes aren't made. 

I think it's great that Glastonbury Festival provides something for everyone, and naturally politics is going to be an interesting part of it to many people. However, for me personally, Glastonbury provides escapism; I would rather forget the rest of the world even exists for those few days. Obviously politics was a raw subject last year, but I found it overwhelmed some of the joy of the festival and being so close to an election I'm scared this could happen again.

That was all the point I was trying to make. Obviously, I tend to avoid the Left Field, but I do like to hang out in the Cabaret tent for some light entertainment.

Even if you had clicked on my blog link and done some research on me, I don't think you'll be able to find who I work for or what the state of my mental health is. It was a lazy assumption of yours to think that I'm so fortunate. In a similar way, I think it's lazy of those performers who come onto the Cabaret stage and shout (or sing) abuse at the Tories the minute they walk on and assume that's all they need to do to get the audience on side with them, rather than actually try and entertain us with comedy/music/dance/variety. Like I said, I just want to escape the real world for a while and would rather not be reminded of it all the time. I think that's true for a lot of people at the festival, regardless of what their situation is in life.

[mjsell]

 

3 minutes ago, stuartbert two hats said:

More to the point, I wonder if any bookies are taking bets.  

Mate was offering odds on Wenger or Corbyn to go first. 

[brettredmayne]

Since brexit I have joined the lib Dems, sadly i live in a pro brexit labour seat and can't see that changing 

[RichardWaller]

6 hours ago, Wickedfaerie said:

Cue lots of political rants in the cabaret tent! I don't mind a bit of political debate every now and then, but after last year, it would've been nice to have had a break from it!

Oh god yeah. I'm a badge wearing pessimist but last few years British politics has been too negative even for me. Don't pay anywhere near as much attention as I used to and feel so much better for it.

[Ommadawn]

17 minutes ago, Wickedfaerie said:

I think it's great that Glastonbury Festival provides something for everyone, and naturally politics is going to be an interesting part of it to many people. However, for me personally, Glastonbury provides escapism; I would rather forget the rest of the world even exists for those few days. Obviously politics was a raw subject last year, but I found it overwhelmed some of the joy of the festival and being so close to an election I'm scared this could happen again.

That was all the point I was trying to make. Obviously, I tend to avoid the Left Field, but I do like to hang out in the Cabaret tent for some light entertainment.

Even if you had clicked on my blog link and done some research on me, I don't think you'll be able to find who I work for or what the state of my mental health is. It was a lazy assumption of yours to think that I'm so fortunate. In a similar way, I think it's lazy of those performers who come onto the Cabaret stage and shout (or sing) abuse at the Tories the minute they walk on and assume that's all they need to do to get the audience on side with them, rather than actually try and entertain us with comedy/music/dance/variety. Like I said, I just want to escape the real world for a while and would rather not be reminded of it all the time. I think that's true for a lot of people at the festival, regardless of what their situation is in life.

Post of the day for me.

[Woffy]

Mega-rich posho Benyon will romp home in Newbury again. 

I think he had over 60% of the vote last time with rest sharing what pointless fuck all was left. 

When I voted last time at the village hall I seemed to be the youngest there (I'm 42) by some margin. 

So I have zero idea how to even vote tactically. 

The smug fuck even tweeted today about how he 'hates these slow news days'.

[crocodiles]

5 hours ago, parsonjack said:

At least it will give Billy Bragg something to rant about in Left Field on Friday night....

God bless Billy but unfortunately he's preaching to the converted . Been at to many gigs where musicians go on about issues and the crowd all cheer and I always think yeah that's fine  but how many of u here are really going to back that up with ur vote ...

[Mr.Tease]

24 minutes ago, Wickedfaerie said:

I think it's great that Glastonbury Festival provides something for everyone, and naturally politics is going to be an interesting part of it to many people. However, for me personally, Glastonbury provides escapism; I would rather forget the rest of the world even exists for those few days. Obviously politics was a raw subject last year, but I found it overwhelmed some of the joy of the festival and being so close to an election I'm scared this could happen again.

That was all the point I was trying to make. Obviously, I tend to avoid the Left Field, but I do like to hang out in the Cabaret tent for some light entertainment.

Even if you had clicked on my blog link and done some research on me, I don't think you'll be able to find who I work for or what the state of my mental health is. It was a lazy assumption of yours to think that I'm so fortunate. In a similar way, I think it's lazy of those performers who come onto the Cabaret stage and shout (or sing) abuse at the Tories the minute they walk on and assume that's all they need to do to get the audience on side with them, rather than actually try and entertain us with comedy/music/dance/variety. Like I said, I just want to escape the real world for a while and would rather not be reminded of it all the time. I think that's true for a lot of people at the festival, regardless of what their situation is in life.

And for me, your initial post was like me responding to this post by saying "I don't care about your situation or whether you have it difficult, I just want to relax and enjoy myself!" (which isn't actually my stance!), which is what got my back up. For me, shutting up politics is essentially promoting the status quo and saying that those getting hammered don't matter, or the environment doesn't matter (which I suspect isn't your actual belief!)- I know it can be boring, depressing, frustrating, but it is also important, at least to me. 

For a lot of people comedy around difficult political issues, and being able to hear discussions by like minded people, or even hear people give a cathartic rant, is very comforting and can recharge the old political batteries. I suppose its like people when they're unhappy- some like to hang out with depressed people and talk about it, while others prefer to hang out with jolly people and not think about it. Either is fine, it's just when it comes to silencing politics, you're also silencing the plight of others who may actually be facing destitution, etc- and is it fair to do that because it leaves you feeling sad/frustrated?

(and by fortunate, I meant we are all relatively materially fortunate if we are able to go to glastonbury)

Edited April 18, 2017 by Mr.Tease

[TheSheriff]

With the working class feeling so marginalised, resulting in the rise of far right politics. This is Corbyn's opportunity: his only chance of winning is to stand on a socialist programme:for the immediate introduction of a £10 minimum wage, re-nationalise the railways and Royal Mail now, end austerity - defend the NHS, education, council and civil service jobs as well as repeal the Trade Union Act and abolish all the anti-union laws and for a Workers' Brexit: collective bargaining, no loss of any workers' rights, the right of EU nationals to remain and no 'race to the bottom' by no longer adhering to anti-worker posted workers directives and ECJ judgements

[char90]

It is what it is. Personally one of my favourite things about Glastonbury is getting away from 'real life' for a week and getting that feeling back of coming together and being nice to each other. Absolutely no way any of this will put a dampener on my festival. If anything it makes me more determined to enjoy myself. Providing Donald's not gotten us all blown up pre June of course. 

[philipsteak]

4 hours ago, Untz said:

It must be fun to live in a constituency where your vote can make a difference.

The only time I've not lived in a 60+% safe Labour seat was when I had the fabulous George Galloway as MP, but I wasn't even living there during a GE. I don't even get election propaganda from other parties. Damn my poorness.

I dunno, there's a part of me that's a little relieved that my vote isn't worth much (Tim Farron is my MP, dropped a little last time but still well liked enough locally to ride out the Libdemaggedon.) because I genuinely don't know what to do with it this time.  

[musky]

I'm taking the calling of a snap election as confirmation that TM has a brexit deal in mind that will absolutely hammer the poor.

Previously she had refused to call an election on pragmatic grounds, that it would undermine the negotiations. Now she's talking in terms of opposition within Parliament undermining the brexit talks. With an overall majority within Parliament she must be expecting a fair amount of dissent from within the Conservatives to need to strengthen her hand. Her change of mind is probably less the result of a walk in the countryside with her husband and more the upshot of comparing the list of probable dissenters to one of who is likely to lose their seat.

[zero000]

Incredibly difficult to choose who to vote for this time around. The Tories are awful, Labour rudderless and the Lib Dems are practically anonymous. Do I back the Lib Dems, or prop up Corbyn, who is decimating the Labour party and any credible opposition to the Tories? It's an absolute shit show.

[Mr.Tease]

7 minutes ago, zero000 said:

Incredibly difficult to choose who to vote for this time around. The Tories are awful, Labour rudderless and the Lib Dems are practically anonymous. Do I back the Lib Dems, or prop up Corbyn, who is decimating the Labour party and any credible opposition to the Tories? It's an absolute shit show.

It's not a difficult choice for me- the Tories are awful therefore I will vote for whichever candidate has the best chance of beating them in my constituency. That unfortunately is John woodcock, but I'd rather vote him than have the Tories win.

[Ommadawn]

37 minutes ago, TheSheriff said:

With the working class feeling so marginalised, resulting in the rise of far right politics. This is Corbyn's opportunity: his only chance of winning is to stand on a socialist programme:for the immediate introduction of a £10 minimum wage, re-nationalise the railways and Royal Mail now, end austerity - defend the NHS, education, council and civil service jobs as well as repeal the Trade Union Act and abolish all the anti-union laws and for a Workers' Brexit: collective bargaining, no loss of any workers' rights, the right of EU nationals to remain and no 'race to the bottom' by no longer adhering to anti-worker posted workers directives and ECJ judgements

Labour landslide then - not.

[ogriff]

2 hours ago, Sasperella said:

I think all we can do is hope to minimise casualties. Hoping Sheffield doesn't go blue. I can't deal with that.

No chance. This is the socialist republic of South Yorkshire. 

[Martin Ashford]

I'm running as a Labour Community Councillor on May 4th. I've been out canvassing regularly for five weeks now  I can tell you that only ONE person has brought up Corbyn as a negative factor. Support for Labour remains strong in an area that is being actively targeted by the Tories because it is relatively affluent compared to neighbouring wards. I was expecting a roasting and I have been pleasantly surprised. The Media have constantly painted a misleading picture because they are terrified of a politician that cannot be bought running the country. The Polling companies are run by Tories - don't believe a word of it. Labour are NOT a spent force. Get out there and spread the word. Put an end To May in June.