Don't vote Tory

[arcade fireman]

25 minutes ago, hermano said:

I haven't read the whole thread, but do genuine hand-on-heart Tories actually attend Glastonbury?  A communal/socialist festival with roots in counter culture/CND etc?

Yes they do. Not speaking for myself here, but you've got to expect amongst the 150,000 attendees there'll be a fair few Tories, especially considering ticket prices are pretty high these days. The roots are in counter culture but Glasto these days is firmly part of mainstream culture. 

[Mr.Tease]

28 minutes ago, hermano said:

I haven't read the whole thread, but do genuine hand-on-heart Tories actually attend Glastonbury?  A communal/socialist festival with roots in counter culture/CND etc?

Haven't you noticed the rightwards shift on these boards over the years? Some of the political stuff Russy says used to be the majority poster view, nowadays he gets a right roasting every time! 

[babyblade41]

2 hours ago, hermano said:

I haven't read the whole thread, but do genuine hand-on-heart Tories actually attend Glastonbury?  A communal/socialist festival with roots in counter culture/CND etc?

yes we do , but I don't put Glastonbury as a political statement that I need to support one way or another...what a stupid statement...without being offensive 

[stuartbert two hats]

1 hour ago, babyblade41 said:

...what a stupid statement...without being offensive 

Now that's a stupid statement. And I'm clearly being offensive to say so.

[amfy]

The Glastonbury I started attending was very much a political statement, but it is less so now.  

We still have Leftfield but the whole thing used to have that flavour. My first Glastonbury was when it was still a CND festival and fighter jets flew low over the site all weekend just to annoy us. It felt very much like we were making a statement by being there.

It certainly isn't daft to think it is a left leaning festival - that is its heritage.

[babyblade41]

7 minutes ago, stuartbert two hats said:

Now that's a stupid statement. And I'm clearly being offensive to say so.

apologies but since when has someone choosing to go and do something for a few days become some kind of political stance... it's ludicrous.  I am  going for the first time and thought it was a place for all people of all denominations etc etc or not ? 

[arcade fireman]

1 minute ago, babyblade41 said:

apologies but since when has someone choosing to go and do something for a few days become some kind of political stance... it's ludicrous.  I am  going for the first time and thought it was a place for all people of all denominations etc etc or not ? 

Everyone's welcome (apart from the extremists obviously), and going to Glastonbury isn't a political stance. However it is very much built on left wing principles and ideals, far more so than any other mainstream music festival (or arguably any other mainstream big event in this country). I would argue if you're a firm Tory you probably won't get as much out of it as others - but that doesn't mean you shouldn't go or you're not welcome. 

[babyblade41]

Just now, arcade fireman said:

Everyone's welcome (apart from the extremists obviously), and going to Glastonbury isn't a political stance. However it is very much built on left wing principles and ideals, far more so than any other mainstream music festival (or arguably any other mainstream big event in this country). I would argue if you're a firm Tory you probably won't get as much out of it as others - but that doesn't mean you shouldn't go or you're not welcome. 

Isn't that very narrow minded ? and totally blows the : we are all equal , peace and love to all man rhetoric. It's a bloody music, food, arts and booze fest that costs and arm and a leg to get in... 

If I find I will be chastised for the way I look then it will be the first and last time I go as I am not the norm and never at any rock concerts has it ever been suggested it's for certain people only , but I certainly wont be discussing politics that's for sure ,

[Spindles]

Don't worry, it is possible for a Tory to have a good time at Glastonbury.  The key is to not give a shit about anyone else.

Just to be clear, everyone (extremists aside, as mentioned) is welcomed.  The hope is that a little of what you see might help to steer your opinions a little.  If you go away without that, so be it.  Some clearly do, many clearly don't.  

I hope you have a good time, regardless of your politics.

[babyblade41]

8 minutes ago, Spindles said:

Don't worry, it is possible for a Tory to have a good time at Glastonbury.  The key is to not give a shit about anyone else.

Just to be clear, everyone (extremists aside, as mentioned) is welcomed.  The hope is that a little of what you see might help to steer your opinions a little.  If you go away without that, so be it.  Some clearly do, many clearly don't.  

I hope you have a good time, regardless of your politics.

Thank you for some common sense , I always have an open mind being very long in the tooth, but I will use my own intelligence to figure out how I vote and can not see how Glastonbury can change that but who knows.

It is supposed to be a place where you take home all your rubbish and yet that doesn't happen either.

 

 

[stuartbert two hats]

21 minutes ago, babyblade41 said:

apologies but since when has someone choosing to go and do something for a few days become some kind of political stance... it's ludicrous.  I am  going for the first time and thought it was a place for all people of all denominations etc etc or not ? 

I can understand the misunderstanding, since the party aspect of the festival has been highly emphasised in recent years, but Glastonbury has strong political roots.

All are welcome, but it's not a politically neutral place. It's a decidedly left wing festival. It has a tent called "Leftfield", which is a reference to politics, not the Avant Garde.

Arguably it should be a more politically diverse, broad church. But that's not what Glastonbury is actually about.

[babyblade41]

Just now, stuartbert two hats said:

I can understand the misunderstanding, since the party aspect of the festival has been highly emphasised in recent years, but Glastonbury has strong political roots.

All are welcome, but it's not a politically neutral place. It's a decidedly left wing festival. It has a tent called "Leftfield", which is a reference to politics, not the Avant Garde.

Arguably it should be a more politically diverse, broad church. But that's not what Glastonbury is actually about.

So shouldn't that Ideal be publicised a little more so people like me stay away.? I will reserve judgement 

[arcade fireman]

18 minutes ago, babyblade41 said:

Isn't that very narrow minded ? and totally blows the : we are all equal , peace and love to all man rhetoric. It's a bloody music, food, arts and booze fest that costs and arm and a leg to get in... 

If I find I will be chastised for the way I look then it will be the first and last time I go as I am not the norm and never at any rock concerts has it ever been suggested it's for certain people only , but I certainly wont be discussing politics that's for sure ,

It's not narrow minded. It's not that you're not welcome, it's not that you shouldn't be offered the same amount of peace as anyone else. I don't know where you got that it's for certain people only.

However much of what distinguishes Glastonbury from other festivals is due to the left wing principles it was founded on. The lack of corporate sponsorship, the "peace and love to all man rhetoric" you describe, the diversity of acts on offer etc etc...despite the fact it's part of the mainstream it is also very different to other mainstream festivals in that regard.

Some Tories who go feel they have leftwing politics shoved down their throat a bit - which I think is a bit much but then I probably wouldn't enjoy going to a festival with right wing ideas as ubiquitous as left wing ideas are at Glasto. See how you go though, plenty of Tories have a great time and just gloss over that stuff. 

[babyblade41]

if someone starts trying to throw politics down my throat they will be told very politely to do one, and I don't care whether they are left , right or pie in the sky.

I'm going to have a break from the stress of every day life... the first break in a long time and the last thing I want or need is that 

[Mardy]

It's so hard to tell, isn't it? There i was, refused entry to Henley Regatta for turning up in combats, a crate of lager and a Crass T-shirt. Should have been publicised a bit better, I think. Disappointing.

[stuartbert two hats]

3 minutes ago, babyblade41 said:

So shouldn't that Ideal be publicised a little more so people like me stay away.? I will reserve judgement 

You can come. You are welcome. But there is a political undercurrent there that may not be in tune with your beliefs.

It's pretty mild to be honest, but it is there. You can quite easily go the whole festival without taking politics. I usually do. But sometimes I've spoken to former political prisoners from Burma, or debated drug legislation, or the feasibility of truly socialist ideas in mainstream British culture.

But usually I just get w*nkered like everyone else

[babyblade41]

I'm fully aware of such a large group of people there would be a chance to discuss whatever if one chooses to... I for one will not be looking to do that.

 

I am on my own so I'll steer clear of politics and religion but thank you for the heads up .. I will come back and let you all know of my perceptions 

 

[babyblade41]

6 minutes ago, Mardy said:

It's so hard to tell, isn't it? There i was, refused entry to Henley Regatta for turning up in combats, a crate of lager and a Crass T-shirt. Should have been publicised a bit better, I think. Disappointing.

Try being a motorcyclist then you really know what it's like to be ostracised from places 

[stuartbert two hats]

3 minutes ago, babyblade41 said:

I'm fully aware of such a large group of people there would be a chance to discuss whatever if one chooses to... I for one will not be looking to do that.

 

I am on my own so I'll steer clear of politics and religion but thank you for the heads up .. I will come back and let you all know of my perceptions 

 

You'll be fine

[Amy Lawn]

Ha! Looks like the Tories are getting scared of little old Jez; I've just had an ad before a Youtube video that's all dramatic music and massive writing like "This dangerous psychopath could be Prime Minister". All painting him to be an evil supervillain, really ridiculous sensationalist stuff.

Obviously Mrs May will get her majority on 8th June, but just picture the scene if Labour actually won, picture that sour faced facist having to go out to TV cameras and accept defeat. What a beautiful sight that would be. The sweaty ham-faced liar's resignation should have been a joyous occasion, but he completely ruined it by being so dense that he just never seems phased by his own calamitousness (or is he so public schooled that he always thinks he's the best no matter what?), and the whole reason he had to resign was that he'd irreparably fucked the country beyond belief.

Labour have got my vote this time, because Mr Corbyn is the first one in my lifetime to actually put across the sort of principals that Labour should be about, but I'm a bit frustration he's not gone for the big issue of parliamentary reform. Our political system is completely unfit for purpose and it needs sorting out; why the fuck don't Labour have any interest in it when the Tories are able to effectively control the entire parliament with only a third of the vote?

[arcade fireman]

1 minute ago, GETOFFAMYLAWN said:

Labour have got my vote this time, because Mr Corbyn is the first one in my lifetime to actually put across the sort of principals that Labour should be about, but I'm a bit frustration he's not gone for the big issue of parliamentary reform. Our political system is completely unfit for purpose and it needs sorting out; why the fuck don't Labour have any interest in it when the Tories are able to effectively control the entire parliament with only a third of the vote?

Couple of reasons -

Firstly it's not long since the last AV referendum. You could argue what was offered was a long way from true PR, but any constitutional change like that would need to be put to a referendum. I think promising yet another vote/referendum after three recently wouldn't go down too well, particularly on an issue which has been voted on recently. 

Secondly FPTP isn't a fair system for a lot of reasons. However it does make it a lot easier to make big changes to this country. The Tories have exploited this to their advantage far more than Labour have, but with a parliamentary majority and a united party you can have a lot of power. Whereas much of Corbyn's programme wouldn't get through if we had PR - there would likely be a majority in Parliament against a lot of these spending plans Corbyn has for example. 

 

[babyblade41]

JC wasn't an impoverished child though was he ?.. The house he grew up in and where he went to school went against his parents beliefs .

 

Politics is just about picking the bits out that equate to your life style 

 

With that I'm off to shut the livestock away for the night and lock up the paddocks ... night all

[Spindles]

I'd hope that proper PR, based on the successful models in other nations might be back on the agenda in years to come.  I think the bodged compromise that was the AV referendum set us back a few years in the hope for true electoral reform.  FPTP is a bent game.

[Amy Lawn]

11 minutes ago, babyblade41 said:

JC wasn't an impoverished child though was he ?.. The house he grew up in and where he went to school went against his parents beliefs .

 

Politics is just about picking the bits out that equate to your life style 

Well it is if you don't give a flying fuck about anybody else

[Mr.Tease]

55 minutes ago, babyblade41 said:

I'm fully aware of such a large group of people there would be a chance to discuss whatever if one chooses to... I for one will not be looking to do that.

 

I am on my own so I'll steer clear of politics and religion but thank you for the heads up .. I will come back and let you all know of my perceptions 

 

You can always fall back on talking about your dogs- they look a couple of beauties!

I go for the left wing politics, but I feel much more in the minority there now these days- I doubt you'll find much politically that you disagree with unless you go specifically looking for it (unless you don't believe in water aid or Greenpeace), there might be one political speaker giving a 5min talk on the pyramid stage, or the occasional declaration by a musician, but I'm sure you'll manage to survive that.