At the General Election, support for Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour party shocked politicians and pundits alike. So what happened? In a series of interviews, we speak to the campaigners, mobilisers, concert organisers, educators and pundits changing the political landscape and energising a new generation of the left in Britain…
Lois Wilson: For me, music has always been a huge force for social change. My first musical love was the Specials and 2 Tone, that then led into Red Wedge which 2 Tone founder Jerry Dammers was involved in alongside Billy Bragg, The Style Council and others.
So I have never questioned the link between politics and music.
I first heard of Jeremy Corbyn through his links with CND and Stop the War. I remember being on the 2003 Stop The War march and rushing to Hyde Park to see him speak. For me there was never any doubt that if he wanted it, he should be leader of the Labour Party. He was so passionate, so honest.
Corbyn connects with people because he doesn’t patronise
Witnessing the constant demonisation of him in the mainstream press after he became leader was demoralising but also baffling. It didn’t tally with what I was seeing at Momentum meetings and rallies across the country.
I was at playgroup with my three-year-old and heard yet another person disparaging him and I thought, that’s it: I’m a music journalist, I knew if I put on a concert with acts that were credible in the eyes of the mainstream press, the worst they could do was ignore us – which they did.