E P Thompson on the alternative nation at Glastonbury
As Michael Eavis commented on complaints that Glastonbury in 2025 is political, its always been political
Of course these days it costs a lot to get in and much of the music is mainstream. So much so that the BBC regards it as a flagship event much as their Wimbledon coverage. The BBC also seems surprised that Glastonbury has politics in this case the Palestinian support of Kneecap, Bob Vylan and others
The late historian and peace campaigner spoke at Glastonbury on several occasions in the 1980s (I think). He was a leading CND campaigner (as well as the author of the Making of the English Working Class) who wanted nuclear weapons to be got rid of. It was politically controversial then, and it remains so. Perhaps the issue was that Thompson gave a speech rather than appearing as E P Thompson & the historians a post punk-folk band.
The official 50th anniversary published in 2020 book records him as speaking in 1984 the day after the Smiths played. Personally invited by Michael Eavis he made his alternative nation speech from the Pyramid stage
Likening the crowd to a medieval army “with its tents, all over the fields” he argued “this has not only been a nation of money-makers and imperialists, it has been a nation of inventors, of writers of activists, artists,theatres and musicians. Looking directly at the assembled crowds he told them “it is this alternative nation which I can see in front of me now.”
Clip from the speech:
Hi Keith,
A nice quote, which I’d like to use it in my new book on the peace movement. I assume it’s from the Glastonbury 50 book – could I be cheeky and ask you for the page number?
All the best,
Martin
Having just come from a conference entitled EP Thompson 100 put on by Calderdale Trades Council here in Halifax where he wrote The Making . . . There was much talk during the day of fighting from the bottom up but an alternative nation is surely much more promising. Just an instinctive reaction.