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Jeremy Corbyn courts youth vote by hanging out with UB40

By | Published on Wednesday 7 September 2016

#UB4Corbyn

Some people have accused Jeremy Corbyn of being stuck in the early 1980s and out of touch with what’s going on in Britain today. Luckily, he fought off those claims yesterday by holding a press conference with UB40.

Corbyn appeared with the band to trumpet their support of the Labour leader, who is currently battling (successfully, it seems) to maintain his position atop the political party.

“I am delighted to receive the endorsement of UB40, one of the most successful British reggae acts of all time”, said Corbyn ahead of the event. “UB40’s story was and remains inspiring; people from across cultures and backgrounds coming together and combining their talents – in a time when prejudice was more prevalent – and creativity to produce music that has endured across decades”.

Then, the next day, proving that that wasn’t all some kind of a weird dream, Corbyn and UB40 did indeed appear together at a press conference, with a backdrop displaying the world’s most unwieldy hashtag, “#UB4Corbyn”.

UB40 frontman Robin Campbell said at the press conference: “Jeremy has re-ignited an interest in politics for people who no longer felt included, and engaged and inspired a new generation of young voters who, for the first time, believe that they have an incorruptible politician who truly represents them. For these reasons he has our full support as leader of a genuine, believable Labour Party”.

“We support Jeremy Corbyn because he is the only one willing to speak up for working people, who have been badly treated by successive governments, including New Labour, in recent decades”, added drummer Jimmy Brown. “He is the only leader offering something different to business as usual. Westminster needs big change, and Jeremy is the man to do it”.

Corbyn also did a weird Q&A with the band, in which his opening gambit was to switch the conversation to classical music, before moving on to complain about the motorways around Birmingham being closed down, or something.

Of course, that gag about being stuck in the 1980s isn’t the only one to come out of this slightly bizarre stunt. Like the current Labour Party, UB40 have been divided by in-fighting in recent years, causing a split that means there are now two bands trading as UB40 – the other, for legal reasons, officially known as UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell, Astro And Mickey Virtue.

And making sure this metaphor ran to its logical conclusion, that version of UB40 does not endorse Jeremy Corbyn. In a statement, they said: “Ali, Astro and Mickey have always been great supporters of the Labour party, and they look forward to the new leader taking the Labour party back into government at the earliest opportunity”.

The irony of all this was not lost on another 80s popstar, Simply Red’s Mick Hucknall, who tweeted: “Jeremy Corbyn has much in common with UB40. They are currently as divided as his Labour Party”.

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