What Do Glastonbury’s Style Tribes Think of the EU Referendum?

Some Glastonbury goers

There’s been a lot of speculation about whether or not Glastonbury will swing the result of the EU referendum, because 135,000 people are stuck in a field on polling day, and some of them might have been more concerned with buying tents and drugs ahead of the festival than sending postal votes or sorting out a proxy.

But say all those people were to swing the vote, which way would they swing it?

Are the majority of Glastonbury’s attendees music bloggers who want to Remain so it’s less of a hassle getting to Dimensions? Are they hippies who want to spread united vibes? Are they coked-up Tories who get very agitated about red tape and are at Glasto to see Tom Odell and Tom Odell only?

Glastonbury, it turns out, is a coral reef of characters, so I thought I’d grab people from a few different “style tribes” and ask them how they voted.

Emily B – Wavey Garms Gal

VICE: Hi Emily, did you vote?
Emily: Yep, by postal vote.

What was your choice?
I’m in. It’s much safer in, culturally and in all aspects it’s safer. I live in a multicultural area and can sympathise with the people wanting to Leave, but… I’m In.

How do you think it would affect your life?
Is this going in the Daily Mail or something?

Nope, it’s for VICE.com,
Oh really? I read a few things recently that I disagreed with on that website.

Okay. Would you rather five free Glastonbury tickets or Britain remain in the EU?
Oooh, are you going to be disappointed in me? I’d go for the tickets. I love Glastonbury! Sorry!

Jamie Matthews – Country Rave Dad

Hi Jamie! Did you vote?
Jamie: Yes I did. Postal.

How did you vote?
In! We need to work towards the future, not the past. The past that people are imagining didn’t actually exist. Peak Blighty is an age that never existed; it was just as shit then as it is now, or worse, actually. It’s a cynical move by people like Boris to get power. He just says the right words and they don’t mean anything. We are economically stronger as part of one bigger trading group, and all this faff about national identity is spouted out by frightened little people.

How do you think it will affect your life?
If we stay it will be much the same. It’s the lesser of two evils, really.

What would be evil about leaving?
It’s a cultural thing. We would look inward. People that go on about Britain being great… no, it’s not; it’s a tiny little place! We are part of a much bigger picture. I don’t know if I’d be financially worse off or not, but we’d be culturally worse off as a nation.

Would you rather we stay in the EU or five free Glastonbury tickets for next year?
Stay in!

Briony Carlin – Made in Glastonbury

Hello Briony. Did you vote?
Briony: I did indeed, by post.

What did you vote for and why?
To remain. It’s a no-brainer. There is no legitimate plan if we leave, so we are just going to be led by these horrible people? If you look at the people that are leading the Leave campaign… I understand there are some real reasons to want to Leave, economically – my father is in economics, so I totally get that – I just think, from a life point of view, if you weigh everything up, it’s a no-brainer to stay. A lot of young people feel this way. I was in a shop yesterday buying a spork, and I heard a lady say that she doesn’t feel the older generation should have a vote in this because they’re not going to live long enough to see the effects of it, and I agree with that. They think they know best, but the young people are the ones that have to see it through.

How do you think it would affect your life?
It would affect my life enormously. I study French as my undergrad. I used to work in France, and it would affect me going back there. I think it’s more a question of open-mindedness.

Would you rather remain in the EU or get five free Glastonbury tickets?
Remain in the EU! But don’t take that lightly, because Glasto is fucking amazing!

Ben Tanner – Psychedelic Lad (actually abstained)

Hiya Ben. What subculture would you say you align most with?
Ben: I’m into my modern day psychedelia – things like that.

Did you vote in the EU Referendum?
I did not, but I kind of regret it now…

Why?
I felt relatively uninformed. I don’t feel I’ve got a strong grasp of politics.

If you did vote, what would you vote for?
In. After World War II, when the camps were liberated by the Americans and British and stuff, we had people from all over Europe come to the UK, and it’s caused absolutely no problems at all. So why should it be any different now?

Shelly Fairy – Rainbow Unicorn

Hi Shelly. Did you vote in the EU referendum?
Shelly: Yep, I’m Australian and I voted for the first time in the UK.

How did you vote?
Stay!

Why?
Because we are very lucky in England, and people get to travel around a lot. I liked that a lot of my friends with very different professions and attitudes voted to stay, and a lot of my hippy friends also voted to stay. I don’t have any really good reason – I just voted to stay. I felt it.

How do you think it will affect your life?
Not very much. Apart from the general change, not much. It’s hard to say, because nobody knows. So much works and we are stronger together, and on our own the government have more power.

Would you rather we remain or you get five free tickets for Glastonbury next year?
I don’t really understand the question. I don’t really know. Sorry.

Emett Ives – Bad Trip

Hi Emmett! Did you vote?
Emmett: Yes I did.

How?
Postal. I voted In.

Why?
It’s better to be part of a strong group of countries than be on your own. If you’re a small country, it’s easier for big corporations to just pay you off and do what they want.

How do think either decision will affect your life?
Probably not that much, to be fair. I don’t really operate in that realm of society; I don’t have a bank account – I only operate with cash and do physical work.

Would you rather we remain in the EU or get five free Glastonbury tickets for next year?
That’s a nonsensical question, I’m not answering.

Aaron, Matt and Conor – Nu Lads

How did you guys vote in the EU referendum?
Matt: Yes! Post!
All: Out, out, out!

Why?
Matt: Because we believe in democracy,
Aaron: I don’t agree with decentralisation of power. If we take back power from Brussels, we get more power in the hands of the many, as opposed to the few.
Matt: Who we elect in this country should govern this country.
Aaron: It’s not about immigration or anything – I love immigration. I’m from up north; it’s like a different country, man! Yorkshire, you know what I mean?
Matt: We all want more immigration, but international immigration – it should be the same for people from India and China as it is for Europeans. It should be as easy for them.

What about the idea of unity?
Aaron: I’m all for reform, mate! I’m all for it. As it stands, the EU, I don’t like it.
Matt: I think we are better off out.
Aaron: By voting In we are saying that what is going on is OK and we don’t want things to change.

How do you think either decision would affect your life?
Aaron: We don’t know, you don’t know, he don’t know, she don’t know. It’s democracy, mate – it’s a choice!

Would you rather five free Glastonbury tickets or we leave the EU?
Matt: Five free Glastonbury tickets.
Conor: Well, I only need one!
Aaron: Are you actually recording this? HELLO DAD, HOW ARE YA?!
Matt: We’d rather the free tickets, mate!

Cheers!

Jason Day – Punk Dad (pictured left)

Hi Jason, did you vote?
Jason: Yes. Postal.

What did you vote for?
Out. Only because we should get more of our youngsters working and get them doing some of the jobs that Europeans are doing. We’ve got enough kids that just need a kick in the arse.

How would leaving the EU affect your life?
I’d like to think that it would affect wages if we leave. I was self-employed for years, but now I work for a company. I’d like to see unemployment go down and kids here given work opportunities. Since the last election, kids have been getting more apprenticeships – it’s a recent thing. I’ve got no problem with foreigners and what they do, but you’ve got to look after Number One. That money is going out of our country; we need to keep the money within our country to create wealth and business. Asian and African migrants send the money back home. They’re not bad people as individuals – I work with about seven to 800 of them every day, and they’re not bad people…

Would you rather we leave the EU or you get five free Glastonbury tickets for next year?
Remain, but with clauses that we can negotiate – that’s far more beneficial in the long run.

So you’d take the tickets?
Yeah! [laughs]

@Jak_TH / @CBethell_photo

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