A Kicking For Keir

Ian Hislop· Panelist0:00

Page 94, the Private Eye podcast.

Helen Lewis· Host0:03

Hello, and welcome to another episode of Page 94. My name is Helen Lewis, and I'm filling in for Andrew Hunter Murray, who has this week sadly failed to develop vetting. I'm in the Private Eye studio with Adam McQueen in his lap and Saba Salman, editor of Rotten Boroughs. The local elections are coming up, and it's gonna be a, a splintering, I guess, of Britain as people vote against Labour and the Tories where they're still standing. What does the picture look like?

Saba Salman· Guest0:26

Well, let me paint you a little picture of Sunderland. Come with me as I take you to one of the big Reform rallies. Yes.

Helen Lewis· Host0:33

Because that is when Nigel Farage of Reform launched his campaign, so he must be pretty confident of winning it, or that would be quite embarrassing.

Saba Salman· Guest0:39

Absolutely. So, um, I'll just take you to Sunderland with me now. So if you picture the scene- Juicy ... two thousand strong stadium room, big lights, music to announce all of the speakers, and, uh, a tune that you may not know. It's called, um, Street Rev Anthem by an electronica, uh, pop producer.

Helen Lewis· Host0:59

Why has Nigel Farage got better taste in music than me? That's- [laughs] That feels wrong. Actually, Nigel, I was gonna say, coming into Right Said Fred, but unfortunately that's my brain has supplied that because Nigel Farage does often sing along to I'm Too Sexy by Right Said Fred.

Saba Salman· Guest1:11

That's right. But you know, small mercies, no Andrea Jenkyns singing her own tunes- [laughs] ... so at least that's something. Um, so yeah. So in Sunderland, he's basically, uh, banging on about the same thing, which is low tax, community voices, which is kind of what local councilors do anyway, so not a difficult, uh, promise to make.