Entertainment world reacts to Labour landslide victory in UK General Election: “DECIMATE THE CONSERVATIVE MONSTER”

5 July, 2024

Billy Bragg, Lily Allen, Sleaford Mods

The entertainment world has reacted to Labour’s victory in the UK general election after the party swept hundreds of seats across the country.

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:

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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