It’s not just about Jeremy, it’s about us: this is what I learned at Glastonbury

I got back recently from rather exhilarating and lively week at Glastonbury. Volunteering for the Workers Beer Company, I was able to experience the legendary festival for the first time while also raising money for my local Labour Party. And what an experience it was.

Other than the vast array of music on offer (the Foo Fighters, Rag’n’Bone Man and Katy Perry to name a few), I was genuinely amazed by just how much politics was happening on a farm in a small village in the South-West. The political antics ranged from the brilliant sand sculpture of Theresa May attempting to break through a field of wheat to David Beckham opening social housing in Pilton. There was a point when I thought I had mistakenly stumbled into Party conference, as I bumped into the general secretary, Iain McNicol, heard that the deputy leader had arrived and that the shadow chancellor, alongside Clive Lewis, would be making an appearance on the famous Left Field.

It was, however, the support and backing for Jeremy Corbyn that was particularly evident at this year’s Glastonbury, displayed in a manner usually reserved for A-list celebrities. With the crowd taking every opportunity to break out into a rendition of ‘Ohhh Jeremy Corbyn’ and thousands of festival-goers packing out the Pyramid Stage to watch the Labour leader address them, if there were any doubts after the general election of young people’s support for Jeremy, Glastonbury quickly dispelled them. And a year after the vote to leave the EU, a result that I have heard had left a sombre cloud over 2016’s festival, the mood had lifted. Brexit had woken up a generation, and this time the sun was shining and as Jeremy Corbyn took to the stage, there was a sense of hope in the air.

But amongst the euphoria there were two things from my political festival experience that stood out.  The first is perhaps best described by Billy Bragg; performing in a tent in the Left Field he reminded the audience that ‘It’s not just about him [Jeremy], it is about us.’  Not designed to be a criticism, his point is an important one.  The momentum that Jeremy has started is exceptional but in order for it to continue on its trajectory we have to continue to bring people with us and make sure that they are not just buying into an individual but into the values and principles that we stand for as a collective. Corbyn’s ability to articulate these in a meaningful and sincere manner is undoubtedly a part of his appeal, but we need to ensure that those who support us (many for the first time) also understand that these are the values at the very core of the Labour Party and it is our ability to deliver as a unified movement that will bring about real change.

The second is that Glastonbury has the sort of energy that can give us left-wingers a false sense of security. It is known for its socialist roots and the founder, Michael Eavis, is a long-time Labour supporter, having stood as a parliamentary candidate in 1997. Festival-goers tend, although not exclusively, to be progressive and liberal in their views, with swathes of young people forming the crowds.  They are the very people whom Jeremy has done so well to bring into the fold and the very people that have helped us to deliver exceptional wins in places such as Canterbury and Kensington.  In reflecting on our election chances, however, we would be naïve to not also consider our decline of support in some traditional working class heartlands. Seats such as Mansfield recently lost to the Tories, which in the 1980s was the site of many clashes between the police and miners or areas of the South-East, like Medway and Gravesham, which were Labour held from 1997-2010 but once again, have returned Tory MPS with solid majorities. Wins in such areas will be crucial to gain the additional seats — more than sixty — to form a working- majority government.

The task itself is not an impossible one. The world of politics is in a state of flux and the Tories are failing to offer any sense of real leadership, heading a government that is about as far from ‘strong and stable’ as you can get, underpinned by a loose deal with the DUP that could prove to be deeply damaging. It is clear they have no real vision for the country other than the relentless pursuit of power.  There is a genuine opportunity for Labour to take the reins and one that we are close to grasping. But it will not be possible without an honest appraisal of our supporter base and how we bring back into the fold our traditional voter base while continuing to appeal to the next generation. And just like our election manifesto, the challenge is to ensure that our appeal remains for the many and not the few.

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