The Labour party leader gave a ten minute speech before Run The Jewels hit the Pyramid stage
Jeremy Corbyn took to the stage today (24 June) at Glastonbury to deliver a speech introducing Run The Jewels’ set. According to The Independent, the MP drew the largest crowd of Glastonbury so far.
He began his ten minute slot by thanking festival founder Michael Eavis for bringing people together to “enjoy music, enjoy good company and enjoy inspiring thought.” He said, “Michael, you paved the way for space for all of us…You brought the spirit of music, the spirit of love, the spirit of ideas and you brought the spirit of great messages.”
The politician also made a jab at Donald Trump by pointing out a message on a nearby wall. “Do u know what it says? Build bridges, not walls.”
Following on from a campaign trail that saw a large youth turnout for the polls, the Labour leader highlighted this change. “The elites got it wrong. The politics is about the lives of all of us and the wonderful campaign that I was involved with… brought a lot of people back into politics because they believed there was something on offer for them. But what was even more inspiring was the number of young people who got involved for the very first time because they were fed up of being denigrated.”
Corbyn went on to highlight several of the party’s policies, that European nationals should have the right to stay and contribute to the UK, and that he wants every child to have a chance to find their artistic calling. “In every child is a poem. In every child, there is music. Old people get a bit embarrassed about that… I want all our children to be inspired.” He also called out the divisive nature of racism, sexism and homophobia, and touched upon poverty in relation to the Grenfell Tower fire.
Towards the end of his speech, he quoted Percy Shelley’s The Masque of Anarchy, written in 1819: “Rise, like lions after slumber/ In unvanquishable number!/ Shake your chains to earth like dew/ Which in sleep had fallen on you:/ Ye are many – they are few!” He speech closed with the crowd chanting his name.
Watch the speech and view the reactions on Twitter below.
Thank you #Glastonbury for inviting me to speak on the Pyramid Stage about how, together, we can build a country #ForTheMany, not the few. pic.twitter.com/vutOyFsFSo
— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) June 24, 2017
Impressive that Jeremy Corbyn, at 68, is still able to juggle two jobs as both the Prime Minister and the world’s biggest rock star
— Alex Finnis (@AlexFinnis) June 24, 2017
Tell me something special isn’t going on in this country. Jeremy Corbyn, my hero my mate pic.twitter.com/BTL84oWj9h
— Tom (@ToonTomm) June 24, 2017
Bloody hell, Jeremy Corbyn’s speech on the Pyramid Stage at Glasto was absolutely stunning. Completely iconic.
— John Henry Phillips (@relicsofwarfare) June 24, 2017
Jeremy Corbyn’s speech at #Glastonbury gives me so much life! 😭✨ Just wanted to cry and shout and scream in agreement with it!
— Lauren Gemma Hay (@OhHayStudio) June 24, 2017
Jeremy Corbyn on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury is the most surreal thing!!! I love this political revolution
— Olivia Ellen (@oliviaellen97) June 24, 2017
I have never, ever seen anything like this in 40+ years of being involved in politics
Amazing
Jeremy Corbyn#Glastonbury2017
— Huerta Nueva 🐝🌹 (@huertanueva) June 24, 2017
Just shed a tear of joy during Corbyn’s speech I’m not gonna lie
— Davy Reed (@davyreed) June 24, 2017