HSE pulls the plug on rock show lies

A claim by a rock show promoter that stars Bruce Springsteen and Sir Paul McCartney had the plug pulled on them at a Hyde Park concert for 'health and safety' reasons has been rubbished by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Kevin Myers, HSE's deputy chief executive and a self-confessed 'longstanding Bruce Springsteen fan', attended last week's Hard Rock Calling gig. In a statement critical of gig promoter Live Nation, he said he 'was doubly disappointed to hear Live Nation give 'health and safety' as the reason for cutting short Saturday's gig. The fans deserve the truth: there are no health and safety issues involved here. While public events may have licensing conditions dictating when they should end, this is not health and safety and it is disingenuous of Live Nation to say so.' HSE's top rock fan added: 'It's ironic that this excuse has been used in relation to Bruce Springsteen, who certainly knows what real health and safety is all about - look at the words of 'Factory' from Darkness on the Edge of Town referring to the toll that factory work can take on the health of blue collar workers. People will now only be able to speculate what the final number should have been. Given that he'd already played Wrecking Ball and that Paul McCartney was on stage, how about Don't let me down?' Westminster Council said the three hour show, which had over-run, was brought to a close by the organisers, not the authorities. In an email to the Wall Street Journal, Live Nation Europe chief operating officer Paul Latham subsequently shifted the blame for cutting The Boss short from health and safety to the well-heeled residents of some of London's most expensive neighbourhoods. 'Suffice to say the residents of Park Lane and Mayfair may not be numerous but they wield inordinate power over the Gogs and Magogs of City Hall and Parliament,' he wrote.