Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn warned he was anxious about the death of live music venues, as he met Brummie reggae legends UB40.
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The reggae band, who have been beset by acrimony and division in recent years, are a flawless match for the embattled leftie as he takes on Owen Smith in the party contest.
The band who have sold more than 70 million records, held a joint press conference with Jeremy Corbyn in London today.
Corbyn, a veteran left-wing campaigner, has brought many new members into the party but has deepened divisions between its left and right wings following its defeat in last year’s parliamentary election under previous leader Ed Milliband.
The other members, who bitterly split off some years ago and formed their own group (confusingly also called UB40), have refused to pledge their support.
The chart-toppers said the Opposition leader was “incorruptible” and a “man of the people” as they backed his bid to remain at the top of the Labour Party.
UB40 said today that Corbyn had “engaged and inspired a new generation of young voters, who for the first time believe they have an incorruptible politician who truly represents them”.
With Mr Corbyn odds-on favourite to be re-elected Labour leader later this month, moderate MPs are privately debating whether to split from the party themselves.
Mr Corbyn and the band came on stage to a recording of Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain – presumably what they hope the Conservative Party (which traditionally uses the colour blue) will be doing. Coming together. Being creative together, improving society together, working together.
He said: “I am delighted to receive the endorsement of UB40, one of the most successful British reggae acts of all time”.
As well as expressing their support for Mr Corbyn during the press conference the band were asked about grammar schools and said they were against them.
Introducing the change would give Mr Corbyn’s opponents on Labour backbenches a say on who sat round the shadow cabinet table.
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But he told his audience of journalists: “I’m not going to sing”.
