I am sharing this as it is important. These are the observations of Paul Hardy the precussionist with Hobo Jones and The Junkyard Dogs. A family man with a generous warm heart and a keen eye for observation. It is well worth a read to understand the quite remarkable “Corbyn Effect”.
You might have heard that Jeremy Corbyn was appearing at Glastonbury this year?
Well, it seemed like he was the theme this year. I saw a load of Corbyn T-shirts. I also saw a lot of young people seeing other people’s shirts and singing “Oh Jeremy Corbyn.” at the wearers. then they would all smile or laugh and walk on with a little skip in their step. I saw this a lot. A lot!
Well, knowing the Pyramid would be packed and knowing he was coming to the Left Field Stage later, I went there and watched Billy Bragg’s Round Up which ended with Ralph McTell singing Streets Of London along with everyone in the tent. It was lovely and considering Steve Knightly was also performing, the tent was packed. After they finished and left the stage, nobody moved. Nobody. Everyone just stood there. I was at the back but, I was inside the tent. We waited.
Eventually Billy Bragg introduced him and Jeremy Corbyn walked to the centre of the stage.
The cheer was loud and long, others have described it as a rock star welcome. It was. He stood patiently until it died down and he started to speak.
A packed tent of, I’m estimating, 4000 capacity? Anyway, it’s a lot, who stood and listened to a politician? Really listened.
I was at the edge of the tent and I turned to see how many people didn’t get in and the heads of the crowd outside went right back to the fence. There were more people outside than in. The ones at the back surely couldn’t hear? Maybe they could, they stayed anyway.
He was brilliant, kind, humble but, resolute and tenacious too. A leader? Yes indeed.
I remember thinking this felt important, this felt historic.
He finished, thanked everyone. The cheer was deafening and went on for a long time. Eventually fading to the chorus of “Go Jeremy Corbyn!” which was heard again and again all over the site, all weekend.
I stayed to watch people leave. There were many smiles, laughing, hugging, people talking excitedly and a real feeling of what looked like hope to me.
Maybe, for the first time in many years people see a better future. Not one of power, fame and riches but, one in which they don’t have to be vicious in order not to fail?
I can only guess but, they went away happy. He did that.
Name a politician who could pull a crowd like that? Keep them there and, after just losing an election, send them away feeling good? You can’t because there isn’t one. Just him. Why? Thousands of reasons I suppose, one for each person there.
Now, people can say whatever they like to stamp on the excitement people are feeling about this man but, they won’t dampen the spirits one little bit. These people, and the thousands who turn out whenever he speaks, see something in him. Maybe it’s only possibilities but, it’s much better than what we have now.
I think I may have been waiting my whole life for a leader like this.
I didn’t join in the singing. It seems like a young people’s thing and they need that. They certainly seem to need Jeremy Corbyn, whatever he represents to them, hope? A future? Just something different?
I was amazed. I feel I’ll be telling the story about seeing him speak for the rest of my life.
“Oh Jeremy Corbyn.”
