Actor Steve Coogan has said he understands why people would vote for Reform UK instead of Labour as he described their first year in Government as "disappointing". The 59-year-old comedian, who recently starred in The Penguin Lessons, reportedly supported the Labour Party in previous elections until last year, when he backed the Green Party.
Speaking to The Guardian, Coogan said the current Labour Government is "no different from a Conservative government in neglecting ordinary people". He added: "What they're doing is putting Band-Aids on the gash in the side of the Titanic."
Reform success blamed on consensus
The Alan Partridge creator laid the blame for Reform's rise squarely at the feet of what he called "the neoliberal consensus". He argued this approach "has let down working people for the last 40 years and they're fed up".
"It doesn't matter who they vote for, nothing changes for them," Coogan said. "They'll pave the way for the only alternative, which is a racist clown. Reform (UK) couldn't organise a p*** up in a brewery, but if there's no alternative, you understand why working people will make that choice."
Government marks election anniversary
His comments come after the Labour Government marked one year since winning the 2024 general election. Coogan argued that the problem extends beyond simple disempowerment of ordinary citizens.
"It's compounded by the fact that these people, these multinationals, are enabled and supported by the Government to keep their foot on the neck of working people," he said. The actor suggested that tackling extremism requires addressing "the root cause" of poverty and economic decline, particularly in post-industrial northern England.
MP quits Labour Party
Coogan said he agreed "wholeheartedly" with MP Zarah Sultana's statement shared on Thursday, which said the Government had failed to "improve people's lives". Sultana claimed the "two-party system offers nothing but managed decline and broken promises".
Sultana also announced that she was quitting the Labour Party to co-lead a left-wing alternative with former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Coogan is best known for portraying Alan Partridge, a persona which pokes fun at British broadcasters, having appeared in several TV series as well as the 2013 feature film Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa.
The Government has been contacted for comment.
(PA/London) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
