Jezfest FLOP: Labour Live SLAMMED as shambolic festival fails to attract crowds
LABOUR Live - the troubled Glastonbury-style festival where the party was hoping to recreate the success of their rousing General Election rallies - has been mercilessly slammed for its dwindling crowds and lack of interest.
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The event, dubbed ‘Jezfest’, is taking place at the 20,000-capacity White Hart Lane recreation ground in north London today.
It features appearances from music acts including Clean Bandit and the Magic, alongside a speech from Jeremy Corbyn himself, who appeared in front of tens of thousands of people at the Glastonbury Festival last summer to give a rousing speech prior to the General Election.
Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell and left-wing activist Owen Jones were also billed to speak.
It was meant to be a money-spinner for Labour but a reported 3,000 tickets had only been sold and according to insiders, the party could lose more than £1 million as a result.
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Many have taken to social media to mock the dwindling crowds at the event, posting pictures and videos to suggest that ticket sales didn’t pick up as hoped.
One wrote on Twitter: “Have an absolute ball at Jezfest but just make sure you don’t get trampled on.”
Another said: “Sadly, there was a bigger and more appreciative crowd for @levirootsmusic when he visited my small daughter’s infant school.
Other social media users mocked Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbot, with one tweeting: “@UKLabour According to @HackneyAbbott, 12 billion people are attending Labour Live today.
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“Could you please confirm the attendance, I’d honestly be surprised if it was more than zero.”
Another said: “Stand by for crowd added, photoshopped images from #LabourLive.
“Abbott is providing estimation of attendees, so at least a million.”
Many tweeted GIFs of tumbleweed blowing across distant and dust roads, accompanied with #LabourLive.
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On Friday, Labour made a last-ditch attempt to salvage the event, slashing ticket prices by over 70 percent from the original £35 for adults, £30 for concessions and £10 for children.
Ticket prices were dropped to £10 for adults, with under 14s now able to gain free entry.
They have also been given away for free, along with complimentary travel, through constituency Labour parties and the Unite union.
On Wednesday, during a fiery Prime Minister’s Questions session, Theresa May mocked Labour over the festival, telling MPs: “The headline act at Labour Live are the shadow chancellor and the Magic Numbers - that just about sums them up.”