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Stormzy backs Labour in election with call to end austerity
Top grime MC and other artists write letter encouraging people to register to vote
Damien Gayle https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/25/stormzy-backs-labour-in-election-with-call-to-end-austerity
Stormzy has thrown his support behind the Labour party and called on people to register to vote to “end austerity, rebuild our communities and take back the means to change our lives for the better”.
In a letter to the Guardian, the multiple award-winning grime MC from London joins a number of music industry artists – including Akala, Professor Green, Kano, Lowkey, Saskilla, Sharkey Major and Charlie Sloth – in saying they will be voting for Labour on 12 December.
“Ending austerity will, for the first time in many of our lifetimes, use the taxes we all already pay into, to reinvest in the housing, youth clubs, community groups and cultural centres being destroyed by the current government,” the letter says.
“We are under no illusions about Labour’s own imperial history, and we don’t think the British establishment is fundamentally going to change. But we are sick of our taxes being spent on fighting more wars and building more jails.
“Jeremy Corbyn has been one of the few people who has fought against injustice all his political life, from apartheid South Africa to the bombing of Libya.”
The deadline for voter registration is Tuesday 26 November and the letter is both a call to support Labour and a last-ditch attempt to persuade potential voters who are not registered to sign up. Young voters heavily skew towards Labour, with 60% of those aged 18-24 voting for Corbyn’s party in 2017.
“The opportunity for people-led change can be made possible under a Jeremy Corbyn Labour government. End austerity, rebuild our communities and take back the means to change our lives for the better,” the letter says.
“Surely, in an election that could transform the livelihoods of many, and be the difference between life or death for many more, life is something worth voting for.”
Securing the backing of Stormzy, one of the UK’s biggest recording artists, is a major coup for the Labour party. After lending his support in 2017, Stormzy was credited in part for the “youthquake” that boosted Corbyn’s party in that year’s election.
His declaration “Fck Boris”, a line from his number one single Vossi Bop, became one of the most memorable moments of his headline set at Glastonbury this summer, and was later borrowed by the Labour-supporting youth group FckBoris.
But after Stormzy held back from giving FckBoris his explicit backing, and after some of the original Grime4Corbyn artists indicated they would not repeat their support for Labour this year, it was suggested he might also hold off from a public endorsement.
In the end, G4C relaunched on Sunday night, with many of the original artists on board. Stormzy’s backing for the open letter was secured at the same time, the Guardian understands.
A separate letter has also been published in which more than 500 artists and musicians – many of them under 40 – pledge their support for Labour. The poet Kate Tempest, the musician Brian Eno, the writers Sophie Mackintosh and Sabrina Mahfouz and the political philosopher Srećko Horvat are among those who call for a Labour victory “not just for the future of the United Kingdom, but as a message to show the world”.
The letter, published in Tribune, says the UK stands at a crossroads. “On one side is the Conservative world of self-preservation, closed borders, spiralling homelessness and poverty, inertia on the climate crisis, privatised education and cuts to arts funding,” they write.
“On the other is Labour’s commitment to free movement and ending the ‘hostile environment’ for migrants, a green industrial revolution, protection of workers’ rights, public ownership of key industries, free education, and serious investment in the arts.”
When asked to comment on this news, Prime Minister Boris Johnson claimed that he had no idea who Stormzy was.
When it was explained that he was a popular recording artist, Johnson replied that he was confident of receiving hearty election endorsements in the next few days from Justin Beiber and Chris Brown.
Top grime MC and other artists write letter encouraging people to register to vote
Damien Gayle https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/25/stormzy-backs-labour-in-election-with-call-to-end-austerity
Stormzy has thrown his support behind the Labour party and called on people to register to vote to “end austerity, rebuild our communities and take back the means to change our lives for the better”.
In a letter to the Guardian, the multiple award-winning grime MC from London joins a number of music industry artists – including Akala, Professor Green, Kano, Lowkey, Saskilla, Sharkey Major and Charlie Sloth – in saying they will be voting for Labour on 12 December.
“Ending austerity will, for the first time in many of our lifetimes, use the taxes we all already pay into, to reinvest in the housing, youth clubs, community groups and cultural centres being destroyed by the current government,” the letter says.
“We are under no illusions about Labour’s own imperial history, and we don’t think the British establishment is fundamentally going to change. But we are sick of our taxes being spent on fighting more wars and building more jails.
“Jeremy Corbyn has been one of the few people who has fought against injustice all his political life, from apartheid South Africa to the bombing of Libya.”
The deadline for voter registration is Tuesday 26 November and the letter is both a call to support Labour and a last-ditch attempt to persuade potential voters who are not registered to sign up. Young voters heavily skew towards Labour, with 60% of those aged 18-24 voting for Corbyn’s party in 2017.
“The opportunity for people-led change can be made possible under a Jeremy Corbyn Labour government. End austerity, rebuild our communities and take back the means to change our lives for the better,” the letter says.
“Surely, in an election that could transform the livelihoods of many, and be the difference between life or death for many more, life is something worth voting for.”
Securing the backing of Stormzy, one of the UK’s biggest recording artists, is a major coup for the Labour party. After lending his support in 2017, Stormzy was credited in part for the “youthquake” that boosted Corbyn’s party in that year’s election.
His declaration “Fck Boris”, a line from his number one single Vossi Bop, became one of the most memorable moments of his headline set at Glastonbury this summer, and was later borrowed by the Labour-supporting youth group FckBoris.
But after Stormzy held back from giving FckBoris his explicit backing, and after some of the original Grime4Corbyn artists indicated they would not repeat their support for Labour this year, it was suggested he might also hold off from a public endorsement.
In the end, G4C relaunched on Sunday night, with many of the original artists on board. Stormzy’s backing for the open letter was secured at the same time, the Guardian understands.
A separate letter has also been published in which more than 500 artists and musicians – many of them under 40 – pledge their support for Labour. The poet Kate Tempest, the musician Brian Eno, the writers Sophie Mackintosh and Sabrina Mahfouz and the political philosopher Srećko Horvat are among those who call for a Labour victory “not just for the future of the United Kingdom, but as a message to show the world”.
The letter, published in Tribune, says the UK stands at a crossroads. “On one side is the Conservative world of self-preservation, closed borders, spiralling homelessness and poverty, inertia on the climate crisis, privatised education and cuts to arts funding,” they write.
“On the other is Labour’s commitment to free movement and ending the ‘hostile environment’ for migrants, a green industrial revolution, protection of workers’ rights, public ownership of key industries, free education, and serious investment in the arts.”
When asked to comment on this news, Prime Minister Boris Johnson claimed that he had no idea who Stormzy was.
When it was explained that he was a popular recording artist, Johnson replied that he was confident of receiving hearty election endorsements in the next few days from Justin Beiber and Chris Brown.
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Replies: 62
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Fck the gov fck boris !
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Feck uppity.
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Another irrelevant thread by OP. It could be his ton of unnecessary threads.
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rees mugg said let,s be avin you
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I'm sure this Stomzeey chap will have as much influence on the election as Russell Brand and Tramp Geldof had on Brexit.
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'cultural centres '
'But we are sick of our taxes being spent on fighting more wars and building more jails.' Stormzy lad..have a word with your bruvvers and tell them to stop stabbing people. Then we can turn jails into garden centres (not cinemas...) |
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Clapton says vote Boris
Daltrey says vote Boris Morrisey says vote Boris. Stormzy ffs |
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Frankie says! Feck off will ye?
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yep flusher..stupid old dodderers like yourself.
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The grime guys have some influence with the young dudes , they did in 2017 lets hope for more of the same
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roger daltrey and morrisey ffs
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https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UKwVvSleM6w
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Is he that one that sings bonkers?
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In a letter to the Guardian, the multiple award-winning grime MC from London joins a number of music industry artists – including Akala, Professor Green, Kano, Lowkey, Saskilla, Sharkey Major and Charlie Sloth – in saying they will be voting for Labour on 12 December.
This would be quite funny if it weren't so desperately tragic. With the accent very much on desperate. These mighty non-talents are less newsworthy or credible as commentators as Nellie who cleans the loos at the bus station. Surely this pitiful article can't have been written with straight face ? Is there ANY human tragedy out there who is interested in the political view of something called 'Sharkey Major' or more hilariously still, "Charlie Sloth". It's almost as worthy as a Chris Morris effort from 'The Day Today' or 'Nathan Barley'. Then again, I'm guessing that even if Rosie West or that Religiously-Enriched Bellfield bloke wrote into The Guardian in their best joined-up and declared in favour of Corbyn, some moron at the newspaper would give it some credibility. |
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Can you smell the fear of the Tories as it all starts to unravel
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Stormzy (whatever he/she/it is) and supporters probably now represent Labour's core vote. What a turn off for the white , hard working class.
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Post you are out of touch my friend, the younger generation have rejected the tories and will continue to do so
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The spivs are starting to get frightened a little i think
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Is he the one that sings swanee river?
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at 'Charlie Sloth". Has the all-important "Brian Indolence" endorsement reached The Guardian yet? |
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you see the more they post the more the fear is gripping them
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Is he in the Bay city Rollers?
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i think he was the fifth beatle flush, innit
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You can see why serious-minded persons would give this person's opinion's the greatest scrutiny and credibility...
. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCTKZzcEmCg |
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He can't be very good none of his records are on the bowling club jukebox.
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If we end 'austerity' (yuk) will stab vests be free in my local Waitrose?
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i imagine charlie has spent much time studying the united nations convention on the law of the sea and what it means the uk government can and cant do once we leave the common fisheries policy of the european union. i would be very interested to hear his views on migratory fish and straddling stocks.
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Is stormzy available for a caleidh at new year at the boolin club?
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probably not bruv, my guess is he's booked already, sorry.
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How many marginals might lesser-known "Grime MC" Jimmy Laziness swing Labour's way, with his razor-like grasp of economics, and the difficulties of police recruitment from ethnic minority communities?
Why doesn't Labour despatch him without delay to Scotland? I'm sure his "award-winning" verbal diarrhoea will surely be heard with awestruck wonder by anyone with access to subtitles. |
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Will you influence more voters than Stormzy
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To be fair I remember when Alvin Stardust told everyone to vote for Jim Callahan , they came out in their droves to tell Alvin( nhrn) to fook off.
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cooka choo ,I really love my cooka choo
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That I can believe.
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Don't wear it out.
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is that why he wore a clothe on one hand,
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So he could beat it.
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What have the white, hard working class got in common with overweight,bling festooned, boastful ,violence promoting ,predominantly black gang members .If anything the publicity will prove detrimental to Labour.
What ???????? its pop music and pop musicians influence the young of all classes. Pop musicians from John Lennon down. I am not going to write a list of all the influences of pop musicians on culture. If you haven't a clue there is no reason to talk to you anyway. What have the white, hard working class got in common with overweight, bling festooned, boastful ,violence promoting ,predominantly black gang members .If anything the publicity will prove detrimental to Labour. And skin colour and way of life have nothing to do with it. Michael Jackson is the only example I will give. Again there are many more examples and if you haven't a clue about that; mores the pity for you. If you haven't a clue what I am on about then I am wasting my energy typing. From here on in the more you attack Corbyn the more enthusiastic Labour supporters will get. Because we smell your fear and we smell victory. PS and I also know you will not comprehend this one bit. FOR LABOUR SUPORTERS THIS IS NOT ABOUT CORBYN ITS ABOUT POLICIES. Finally just read my lips get ready for a massive shock on Election day. Young people will vote this tine and Labour will win. |
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John Lennon was exceptional ;the riff raff you listed are unexceptional and will hardly influence anyone with a modicum of intelligence
As an international socialist I could have written this. And die in a ditch meant it. You, you may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one I hope some day you'll join us And the world will be as one Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can No need for greed or hunger A brotherhood of man Imagine all the people sharing all the world But there are many other people as influential. I am not going for a list. Wasting my energy. On this you are either fir me or against me. I know I will gain no converts on here. But I will say.... Bob Marley. Only time will tell if Stormzy and Alkala etc finish up there with the great's. Early days fir them, |