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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Marina Hyde

The day the festival dream died

Alex James looks on as Jeremy Clarkson talks to David Cameron
Say cheese: Alex James looks on as Jeremy Clarkson talks to David Cameron at Harvest. Photograph: PA

Behold, a snapshop from last weekend's Harvest festival organised by Alex James.

Much as I respect the Daily Mail commenter who captioned it "the prime minister, and the ideal prime minister", let's just slap a more concise tag on it: Worstival.

Our dramatis personae are Top Gear boor Jeremy Clarkson, cheese bore Alex James, and Baby Björn-swaddled British prime minister David Cameron, looking for all the world like they have no idea what a trio of absolute countryfolk they are.

It was James, of course, who once claimed he was thrilled to have spent more than a million quid on champagne in three years, on the basis that "the road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom". And yet, on this evidence, does it? Does it not actually lead somewhere very wrong indeed?

Perhaps the former Blur bassist is looking on, wondering: "What evil hath I wrought?" Perhaps he is thinking: "I can't wait to pogo with these two to Town Called Malice in the Chipping Norton Tent later." Perhaps he is thinking: "How can I use this to sell cheese?"

All we can say for sure is that something very fundamental about festivals was shattered in that Oxfordshire field last weekend, and it may prove very difficult ever to rebuild it.

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