Jeremy Corbyn’s Peace and Justice Project has just announced more details of its upcoming concert in London – raising funds for people in Gaza. It will include a performance by anonymous British artist Lynks and feature the former Labour Party leader himself as well as Owen Jones.
Pits and Perverts, revisited
Jeremy Corbyn’s Peace and Justice Project is hosting a Pits and Perverts 40th anniversary concert on 16 December. It’s part of their Music For The Many campaign – but will also be raising funds for people devasted by Israel’s genocide in Gaza, as well as refugees over here.
The concert has taken inspiration from the original in the 80s. This iconic event was organised by Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM), a group formed in response to the Tory-induced hardships faced by striking miners during the UK Miners’ Strike of 1984-85. The concert, held in London on 10 December 1984, became a historic moment in the struggle for social justice and mutual support.
The concert was held at the Electric Ballroom in Camden, London, and featured performances from prominent bands of the time, including Bronski Beat, a group known for their openly gay frontman Jimmy Somerville.
The event drew a crowd of around 1,500 people and raised over £5,000 (equivalent to about £16,000 today) for the miners and their families. Beyond the financial support, the concert forged a deep bond between the LGBTQ+ community and the miners, one that would have lasting effects.
Now, the Peace and Justice Project is doing its own take on Pits and Perverts.
More acts announced – including Lynks
40 years on from the original iconic organised by LGSM in solidarity with the South Wales mining community, Corbyn’s Peace and Justice Project concert will highlight the importance and invaluable contribution of grassroots music venues and creative spaces in community organising and building unity.
The artist Lynks, whose meteoric rise has seen them play and full UK tour and festivals such Glastonbury in the past 12 months alone, will perform as part of a line-up that includes appearances from The Oozes, our founder Jeremy Corbyn, Nadia Whittome, Owen Jones and many more, including representatives from LGSM and LGSMigrants.
You can buy tickets here.
The legacy of the Pits and Perverts concert and the LGSM’s broader efforts was profound. It contributed to the eventual shift in attitudes within the labor movement towards LGBTQ+ rights. When the Miners’ Strike ended in 1985, the NUM expressed their gratitude by marching alongside LGBTQ+ activists in that year’s Pride parade in London.
In the years since, the story of LGSM and the Pits and Perverts concert has been celebrated as a powerful example of cross-community solidarity. It serves as a reminder that the fight for justice often requires us to build bridges between diverse groups, recognising that their struggles are interconnected.
The event is a testament to the power of unity, demonstrating that when marginalised communities come together they can challenge the established order.
Featured image via the Canary
