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6th July 2025
12:02pm BST
In a fiercely-worded attack on both the government and their main opposition heading into the next General Election, Steve Coogan has lashed out at Labour for 'paving the way for Reform', who he also stated were led by 'a racist clown' in Nigel Farage.
Speaking with The Guardian this weekend, the actor best-known for his Alan Partridge character placed the blame squarely on Keir Starmer on his colleagues for allowing Reform to flourish over the past few months, accusing the Labour leadership of 'abandoning party principles'.
Reform currently top the opinion polls for which party Brits intend to vote for in 2029. They managed to get five MPs elected to Parliament last year (two have since been suspended, and another won a recent by-election), but have surged in popularity since July 2024.
Coogan pointed out Labour's willingness to 'lean into supporting a broken system', and criticised the government for failing to show any sort of innovation to improve the state of the country. It sounds like we now really have got Norfolk's maddest man...
“I knew before the election he was going to be disappointing. Keir Starmer and the Labour government have leant into supporting a broken system. Their modus operandi is to mitigate the worst excesses of a broken system and all that is is managed decline." | Steve Coogan
The 59-year-old was scathing in his assessment of Reform. He reserved his harshest words for Nigel Farage, but mocked the entire party by quipping that they 'could not organise a p*ss-up in a brewery' - referring to a number of mis-steps they have taken since the Local Elections in May.
“We have seen a derogation of all the principles Labour were supposed to represent. Every decision that comes from central government these days to me looks political and strategic and nothing to do with sincerity or any kind of firmly held ideological belief.”
“Just like the Tories, Labour are neglecting ordinary people. They’ll pave the way for the only alternative, which is a racist clown. Reform couldn’t organise a piss up in a brewery but if there’s no alternative, you understand why working people will make that choice.” | Steve Coogan
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