SalviaPlath

Can we rule out Corbyn smuggling himself into the Lancashire Labour meeting and recording it? Perhaps in disguise.

The meeting that was recorded was soon after 7 October attack. So unless the recorder knew Tony Lloyd was going to die and there would be a by election (if so I'd like to meet them as they can pick some horses and lottery numbers for me) and Azhar would stand it seems unlikely this is an explicitly anti-Starmer move from someone on the left. More likely a pro-Israel member looking to discredit a pro-Palestinian Labour councillor. Sadly on this occasion Azhar Ali gave them all the ammunition they needed with his comments.

I'm not sure they can replace him at this stage but I'm not clear on what the rules are (both Labour internal and UK electoral). I think they have two options: Defend their candidate on the basis of his apology and continue campaigning for him to be the Labour MP for Rochdale or suspend campaign and not endorse a candidate. Ali is then effectively an independent. Labour members who then campaign for him are breaking party rules. The latter would seem the right option to me. But noise seems to be that he will be the Labour candidate. This creates a situation where if elected he will very likely immediately be suspended from the PLP. So in effect Labour are backing an independent who, if he wins, they will then stand their own candidate against this year.

They should cease campaigning altogether and make it clear any member who supports him now will be suspended. CLP who presumably selected him must be put into special measures too. It risks letting the odious Galloway in but likely only until later this year.

If the comments reported by the Mail are verified, and he has seemed to confirm them, then Labour must withdraw their candidate from the Rochdale by election. Disgusting conspiratorial rubbish that spreads disinformation and does nothing to help the Palestinian resistance to the continuing genocide. I thought Antisemitism was the preserve of the evil Mr Corbyn and Starmer had driven it out? That's what I was told, repeatedly, by Mr Starmer's supporters anyway.

Unless Big Thief are an exclusive to the PJ Harvey gig at gunnersbury park on the Sunday, I am surprised to not really see them prominent in the conversation for headliner for Friday or Saturday. They're big enough now and a very greenman act. A glance at their five European dates this summer also suggests a number of gaps waiting to be filled (five days between their Oslo and Belgium gigs and four between Belgium and London). The greenman shaped hole is very much there.

Deathcrash and English Teacher did rising in 2022 and played the Far Out last year. Don't think playing the rising rules anyone out of a consecutive year.

Mad seeing Dizzee and Wiley on bills this summer considering their recent track records.

It's all a bit private school to Goldsmiths University for me, The Last Dinner Party, but I really enjoyed Nothing Matters and the album is decent. The idea that they're an industry plant or they were put together by record execs seems a bit far fetched. Quite simply if you wanted a front to make big money you'd not do so with a five piece indie band in this day and age.

Got a ticket but not feeling this lineup at all (can't complain as have been well catered to previously) or seen a lot of the top names already, so using this year as a chance to investigate the smaller stages and unknown to me acts. Hope they've got the logistics right this time. Late running stages, gates not opening on time, equipment failures and whole stages not being built at all have been features of the early editions of the festival. Understandable in the first couple of years but does seem reasonable to expect they could be a bit more on the ball now.

Yo La Tengo headlined in 2019. Doubt they'll be back so soon.

I like to complain about APE, a miserable corporate day festival full of rude posh Londoners as much as the next reasonable person, but good god they've blown other fests out the water with that supporting lineup for the death cab day. Exquisite booking from whoever did that.

Probably the weakest top line that Field Day has had, but an interesting and strong supporting cast.

The feelings of the previous incumbent of the Shadow role (an MP I trust implicitly) don't suggest to me that they take it seriously but the proof will be in the pudding. Let's hope they deliver. In her resignation letter, Allin-Khan said: “It has been a pleasure to serve as the shadow cabinet minister for mental health over the last three and a half years. As discussed previously, and in our call earlier, you made clear that you do not see a space for a mental health portfolio in a Labour cabinet, which is why I told you many weeks ago that I would not be able to continue in this role.”

Odd because there is already a Shadow Minister for Women's Health and Mental Health, Abena Oppong-Asare. I'd assume she would lead this kind of high level review for the party.

I'd expect the Greens to lose Brighton Pavillion. Caroline Lucas had a significant personal vote and the Greens ran a completely shambolic council which will have some effect. The Labour candidate is one of the band Gomez. Standard centre left Labour type. I'll stay home and curl my hair on the day of the election probably.

I went to a date of this. James Dean Bradfield from the Manics came on for Clampdown and I think did a Mighty Wah song too. Great stuff. Pete from The Farm is an absolutely lovely guy. Very sharp and sound politics too.

With all five members? Yes count me in, but I can't see it happening.

TV footage definitely plays a part. It is in the interests of the festival to have footage of a full as possible field of people. Agreed they have a good relationship with the festival, which proves my point, they're a safe booking. That need not be read necessarily as a pejorative and for many punters won't be.

Coldplay, Dua/Olivia Rodrigo and Madonna means two heritage acts and a first time headliner. Would rather they took a punt on a newer or leftfield act than Coldplay and risked a less than full field but the festival is increasingly risk averse and TV camera minded, so I could live with those headliners and would be keen to see bits of all three but couldn't see any keeping my attention for a full set, maybe Madonna, but that would be setlist dependent.

I would absolutely love Sleater Kinney. Their most recent show in London was pretty poor but we are all allowed an off day. Think they'd go down really well, not sure where they would sit, maybe headliner or sub? I am never sure of their level of renown in the UK.

What a horrendous set of headliners. Rhcp probably shade Post Malone and English aristocrat Fred Again by virtue that the lead singer is an admitted nonce and the others as far as I know are not.

They're very much yesterday's men, their last concert in the UK was a gimmick for the billionaire owners of a football club, but the early catalogue is immense and a mid afternoon slot on the pyramid would be an attractive option.

Would personally welcome some of the smaller suggested headliners in this thread. One of the boldest things the festival could do is to transition away from the big pop act/legacy/heritage acts taking top billing. Might fix the vibes a bit as well.

Headliner Caroline Polachek had about an hour and ten last year. Primal Scream year before had about an hour and a half. There hasn't been a golden circle in the past. It's not really that kind of vibe.