international news _ Jonty Skrufff _ 30th June 2005

Glastonbury Chief Blames Britain Yob Culture On Blair

Michael Eavis has accused Tony Blair and George Bush of "desecrating and bullying Iraq into utter humiliation" in the festival programme for this year's event and suggested their war-mongering is contributing to Britain's moral malaise.

"How can these leaders of ours not expect some of their stuff to rub off on young people," the festival chief pointed out, "and develop into what's referred to as yobbish behaviour?"

His comments appeared just days after Conservative peer Baroness Peta Buscombe told Britain's House Of Lords that Glastonbury Festival's relatively low crime rates prove that music helps reduce crime, and called for more music in pubs and clubs.

"There is evidence to show that more live music equals less trouble," Baroness Buscombe told the Chamber, "Where you have live music, people's focus is on that music. It's about people going out to enjoy themselves. It's uplifting, it brings people together."

However, Eavis received a less than euphoric personal endorsement in an Observer profile last weekend, via Glastonbury parish councillor Ray Loxton, 50, reputedly an associate of the Avalon farmer for all of his life.

"He's done a lot for the community, he's done a lot for himself. He'll help other people who help him," Mr Loxton conceded, "(But) when you get money, you lose other things. You lose your character and end up getting false friends. He's got a lot of false friends, people only with him for the money."

(Jonty Skrufff/Skrufff.com)