The entertainment world has reacted to Labour’s victory in the UK general election after the party swept hundreds of seats across the country.
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The landslide victory has ended 14 years of Conservative rule, with Sir Keir Starmer vowing that “change begins now”. Upon entering Number 10 Downing Street this afternoon, the Labour leader also said that “a mandate like this comes with a great responsibility” and that the party’s task would now be “nothing less than renewing the ideas that hold our country together”.
Several music organisations have already responded warmly to the news, largely due to Labour’s Manifesto commitments to help break down barriers for artists touring in the EU, and implement a broader curriculum that includes music education.
UK Music Chief Tom Kiehl today (July 5) congratulated Starmer on his election victory and urged him to use his “resounding mandate for change” to boost jobs, growth and opportunity in the sector.
While the majority of posts online are celebratory, some are not convinced. Billy Bragg, who recently shared a “radical” way to “kick the Tories into third place”, took to X/Twitter to say: “Not convinced by Starmer’s tactics so far, but live in hope,” alongside a link about own goals at the Euros.
Succession and I Hate Suzie writer Lucy Prebble echoed the cynicism about Starmer, writing: “Hope it was worth throwing all trans people under the bus for the gammon wranglers to still get 13, Starmer, classily done.”
She dryly added that the current prime minister was, at the very least, not a “sperm-filled Catherine wheel”.
Belfast rap trio Kneecap echoed their support for former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn – who succeeded as an independent candidate – while Sleaford Mods called upon the new government to “DECIMATE THE CONSERVATIVE MONSTER”.
Lily Allen, meanwhile, simply wrote: “Thank fuck”
You can see more reactions from the entertainment world below:
DECIMATE THE CONSERVATIVE MONSTER
— Sleaford Mods (@sleafordmods) July 4, 2024
Great 2 C Tories get punished, but while result mirrors 1997, excitement isn't there. Feels like my team has topped the group on own goals alone, scored by Cameron, May, Johnson, Truss & Sunak. Not convinced by Starmer's tactics so far, but live in hope https://t.co/56ncEModb8
— Billy Bragg (@billybragg) July 5, 2024
Thank Fuck
— Lily Allen (@lilyallen) July 5, 2024
Anyway it’s nice. This is nice. The Prime Minister is going to be a human rights lawyer rather than, say, a billionaire’s husband, Liz Truss, or a sperm-filled Catherine wheel
— Lucy Prebble (@lucyprebblish) July 4, 2024
— Sleaford Mods (@sleafordmods) July 5, 2024
Congratulations to the Green party on winning four seats, and to Jeremy Corbyn for being re-elected as an independent. YA x
— Yard Act (@YardActBand) July 5, 2024
I went to the polling station around 4pm to cast my vote, thinking it might be a quiet spot in the day. It was really busy. The volunteers said it’s been steady and busy all day. Possibly one of the most enthusiastic turnouts of recent times. Very encouraging! #VoteLabour
— Badly Drawn Boy (@badly_drawn_boy) July 4, 2024
Useless awful fuck. Let’s move on from this. A pathetic era of Tory shite. pic.twitter.com/cQLl78lEyg
— Benefits (@Benefitstheband) July 5, 2024
good riddance to the self serving sociopathic tories. they’ve squeezed everything from public services and working people, as well as those less able. There’s nothing left to take. they’ve consistently created more wealth inequality + division over 14 years.
— simone marie (@simonemarie4) July 5, 2024
So, a landslide but also a damp squib. Predictable really. Please Keir, let the tories and farage fight over how racist they're going to be, stop dicking around and get something done. The country is crumbling, socially as well as physically – you can start to fix it.
— Field Music (@fieldmusicmusic) July 5, 2024
Maith an fear
pic.twitter.com/taWE0fMKYg
— KNEECAP (@KNEECAPCEOL) July 5, 2024
How I shit the election bed….
Stayed up till 2am getting v excited.
Fell asleep.
Woke up 5.30 just missing Mogg.
Heard Truss was up soon. Excited.
Fell asleep again.
Woke up 7.30 having just missed Truss.That my friends, is a bed shitting.
— John Niven HQ (@estellecostanza) July 5, 2024
Interesting that for all the talk of a Labour landslide, Tory and Reform combined got more of the popular vote. This, after covid and Brexit. The right will realign and move further right. That seems to be the fascistic direction Britain is headed in.
— Irvine Welsh (@IrvineWelsh) July 5, 2024
I voted for green in the general election. First time not voting for labour.
— BÎмÎηÎ (@biminibabes) July 4, 2024
Breathless coverage of Reform when the exit poll showed them on 13 seats is at exactly the same intensity when they end up with 4. Ultimately, this is just the kind of politics that Britain’s media feels comfortable platforming.
— Frankie Boyle Updates (@frankieboyle) July 5, 2024
We are SO back.
— Peace & Justice Project (@corbyn_project) July 5, 2024
The music world has been closely intertwined with this years election, which fell just after Glastonbury 2024. Several artists who appeared at Worthy Farm, like Damon Albarn, made use of their time on stage by urging the crowd to vote.
Bringing politics into music so directly has proved contentious, with Fat White Family mocking IDLES’ controversial protest performance, and Noel Gallagher calling the entire festival too “woke”.
Even prominent US artists have been getting involved – and MGMT recently hit out at the Tory Party for using ‘Little Dark Age’ in a General Election advert, saying: “Let’s all laugh at this dingus – clock’s ticking, mate.”
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