Steve Coogan has explained why Keir Starmer makes him “admire” Margaret Thatcher.
The actor and writer is a dyed-in-the-wool Labour supporter and has often used his bumbling comedy creation Alan Partridge – a longstanding Tory – to poke fun at the party’s political rivals.
However, Coogan, whose credits include cult comedy series The Trip and Jimmy Savile drama The Reckoning, is not a fan of the UK prime minister and, one year into Starmer’s time in office, Coogan remains unconvinced by his performance.
When asked about his opinions on the current state of Labour, Coogan said that Starmer lacks a purpose and that “everything with him is just political”.
“I don’t think he has any ideology,” Coogan told the i. “I think every decision he makes is, ‘What is the most politically expedient thing to say and think?’”
Coogan contrasted Starmer’s qualities with those of Thatcher, the controversial Conservative politician who was prime minister from 1979 to 1990.
“It makes me admire – which I never thought I’d say – Margaret Thatcher for at least having an ideology and a point of view,” he continued. “And a vision. I didn’t agree with it, but at least she had one.”
Coogan added: “[Starmer] doesn’t have one. So I am not an ally.”
The Philomena star previously told LBC: “I’m a Labour supporter, but I do despair of the risk free, be all things to all men, approach of Keir Starmer, which I think is a fool’s errand and might work in the short term, but eventually bites you on the bum for down the line.”
It was recently revealed that Coogan would reunite with Rob Brydon for a new series of The Trip, which will bring the duo to Scandinavia.
Across six episodes, directed again by Michael Winterbottom (This England, 24 Hour Party People), Coogan and Brydon will explore the wildest riches of Northern Europe, including sculptural Swedish hotels and remote Norwegian fishing huts.
“I’m delighted that Michael Winterbottom has managed to persuade me at the age of 59 to join Rob, aged 60, to squeeze the last few drops of comedy from a bottle that we both thought was pretty much empty,” Coogan said of the forthcoming series.
