A petition addressed to Glastonbury organisers Michael and Emily Eavis calls for them to give the RMT’s “legendary leader” Mick Lynch a slot on the festival’s iconic Pyramid Stage.
Created by UNISON South West, the petition’s text reads: “Mick has shown that he’s a force to be reckoned with and a strong leader of the RMT union in their fight for fair pay.
“Let’s join together and get his voice on the biggest festival stage in the UK.”
To view or sign the petition, head to this page on Megaphone.org.uk.
Despite RMT rail strikes taking place during last summer’s Glastonbury, the BBC reported travel to the festival was largely unaffected with most taking the advice to travel on alternative days. On the day strikes were taking place, only five of the usual 11 trains to the festival ran from London Paddington, but a specially erected holding pen at the station had just 25 people in it.
Many of those at the festival last year hoped Mick Lynch would appear and it’s likely he’d receive a very warm reception if he did speak at Worthy Farm this time around – be that a quick speech the Pyramid Stage or longer talk in a smaller tent like Leftfield. Jeremy Corbyn did both when he appeared at the festival in 2017.
Mick Lynch and the @RMTunion should’ve been at Glastonbury today,
— Wilf Mcfarlane (@wilfmcf) June 25, 2022
Get Mick Lynch on,
— dave barlow (@davebarlow4) June 25, 2022
Recently, Royal Blood and Florence + The Machine have all been rumoured for a place on the line-up. But as it stands, only Elton John’s Sunday night headline slot has been officially confirmed.
And in other news, Becky Hill has come very close to confirming she’ll be playing at Glastonbury this summer.
In an interview with ITV’s Good Morning Britain, she said: “I’m the first-ever female resident at Ibiza Rocks so that’s so cool. I’m currently working on my new album. All the music is written, we’re just getting it ready to release now. And I’m really hoping to be seen at Glastonbury this year, so fingers crossed”.
Guns N’ Roses basis Duff McKagan appears to have confirmed the band will be playing at Glastonbury after months of strong rumours they’ll be headlining the Pyramid Stage. With only Elton John officially confirmed, the bookies now have the banned pegged as joint-favourites for the two remaining headline slots, along with Arctic Monkeys.
Glasto organiser Emily Eavis told Metal Hammer in 2021: “We had Napalm Death in 2017, and it doesn’t get much heavier than that! But I think Guns N’ Roses need to play here at some point don’t they?”
And back in January 2020, The Sunday Times said: “Guns’n’Roses headlining Friday night Glastonbury [is] looking increasingly likely” – just weeks before almost all of that summer’s festivals were forced to cancel when the pandemic broke out.
Beyoncé is also rumoured after announcing world tour dates which leave open the possibility of an appearance at Worthy Farm.
However, despite earlier rumours of Britpop legends Blur being on the line-up this summer, it’s now looking unlikely the band will be there after drummer Dave Rowntree said: “No one, as far as I know, from Glastonbury has approached us.”
Former Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora told media there’s a chance of a reunion gig at Glastonbury 2023 and The 1975 are rumoured to appear after the long-expected band confirmed tour dates which leave them free over the weekend of the festival. It would be The 1975’s fourth time at Worthy Farm, having previously played sets in 2013, 2014 and 2016, and while they’ve been rumoured most years since they now haven’t been on the line-up for five years, despite countless comments from band members and crew that they want to return.
Pulp are also strongly rumoured to appear on the Glastonbury 2023 line-up after announcing details of a reunion tour next summer – which includes space for a potential Glasto slot. The band were already deemed a likely contender by bookmakers, who in September were offering odds of 9/1 on Pulp headlining the iconic Pyramid Stage.
Meanwhile, Victoria Beckham has ruled out a Worthy Farm appearance as part of a Spice Girls reunion in a US TV interview – following years of speculation fuelled by her former band mates.
She told Watch What Happens Live: “I had so much fun being in the Spice Girls – but now, with everything else that I have got going on with my fashion and my beauty line, four children, I couldn’t commit to that. love the girls. I really, really enjoy singing Spice Girls when I’m doing karaoke, but I think I’d better leave it there.”
Arctic Monkeys were also rumoured to have signed a deal to headline Glastonbury 2023 when their UK tour sold out in minutes last year. A source told The Sun: “‘Alex Turner and the band are coming back to Glastonbury, and this time their set is going to be even bigger and better.
Image credits:
Mick Lynch: Steve Eason / CC BY-SA 2.0
Glastonbury: Anna Barclay
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