An indie band member who is a friend of Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said his love of music is “not fake”.
The Lottery Winners’ singer Thom Rylance said the 56-year-old had already proven he cares about music with his 20% cut to business rates for pubs, clubs and live music venues in England.
Speaking at the Tramlines Festival in Sheffield on Sunday, where the band performed, Rylance told the Press Association: “I think our mate Andy, he lived around the corner from me, it’s madness, he cares about music.
“We’ve had funding from the Andy Burnham Greater Manchester Fund in the past to go over to America, and he really cares about music.
“I’ve had some great chats with him, and he loves the same bands that I love, and he talks passionately about it.
“It’s not fake with him and he’s always been supportive of us.
“He’s not text me back since he’s been Prime Minister. I did text him saying, ‘well done, mate’, and he did leave me on read.”
Rylance joked he was “going Tory” as a result of not receiving a reply while bass player Katie Lloyd revealed the Manchester band had previously been given a tour of Parliament by Mr Burnham.
The singer added: “I think no matter where where you sit on the political spectrum, we can all agree that this country needs some changes.
“And I’m hoping… he seems to be doing the right things so far, because I know him personally, I know that his heart’s in the right place, and I really think that he’s going to do a great job.”
Mr Burnham took on the role of Prime Minister on Monday, and has regularly spoken about his love of indie rock, pointing out a gold disc of The Smiths’ album The Queen Is Dead on the wall of his No 10 North office in a social post last week.
In the post he remarked: “I need to return that to Johnny Marr (The Smiths guitarist) actually.”
The office also contained a Brit Awards poster from last year when the ceremony was held in Manchester.
Formed in 2008, The Lottery Winners have achieved two UK number one studio albums in Anxiety Replacement Theory and Koko.
They have also released songs featuring stars including Boy George, Happy Mondays’ Shaun Ryder and US pop rock band Nickelback.
