Wyre Forest election hustings: Tory Mark Garnier joins Corbyn with grime praise
A Conservative candidate in the West Midlands took a leaf out of Jeremy Corbyn’s book when he hailed the success of the British grime scene.
Mark Garnier said grime music had been ‘an extraordinary success’ for the UK export industry although he admitted to having a rather limited knowledge of the genre itself.
It comes after Labour leader Mr Corbyn met with grime veteran JME to discuss why young people should use their votes, sparking the twitter hashtag #grimeforcorbyn and a wave of support from acts including Stormzy, Novelist and AJ Tracey.
Speaking at a Wyre Forest hustings event in Bewdley, Mr Garnier said: “I was asked to sign off a press release not so long ago about the British music industry where it referred to the fact I was an enthusiast on music from the Rolling Stones to Stormzy and I have to confess I spent an awful lot of time trying to find out what on earth Stormzy was.
“The British grime scene, although it’s not quite my thing, is actually an extraordinary success in terms of exports.”
Mr Garnier, who plays bass in a House of Commons band, added: “When I’m trying to relax I tend to listen to that kind of West coast 1970s California kind of music.”
The answer saw him heckled by a member of the audience who asked if the choice made him a hippie, to which Garnier admitted he thought he looked like one.
Other candidates kept it closer to home, with UKIP’s George Connolly and Labour’s Matthew Lamb flying the flag for Manchester Brit-Pop giants Oasis.
The event opened on a solemn note, with Wyre Forest Lib Dem candidate Shazu Miah making a short speech on last week’s Manchester terrorist attack.
He said: "Before I talk about myself, I think it’s appropriate actually as the only Muslim candidate on this bench that I put on record my deepest sympathy for the people of Manchester.
“The Wyre Forest Muslims are united; they are very much in sorrow."
By Luke Bartlett
