Blur drummer Dave Rowntree to run for Labour in next UK general election

Blur drummer Dave Rowntree has today been announced as the Labour party's candidate for the Mid Sussex seat in the south of England.

Rowntree will be contesting the conservative held seat in the next general election which could be held at any point in 2024 but must be held before January 28 2025.

The Mid Sussex seat is currently held by Conservative MP Mims Davies – who won it in 2019. Before that it was held for decades by Winston Churchill’s grandson, Nicholas Soames.

Rowntree has been an active member of the Labour Party since joining in 2002.

As well as providing percussion for one of the most iconic Britpop bands, Rowntree has worked as a solicitor, animator and radio presenter.

He has previously contested different seats in England  in general election including in 2008, 2010 but was unsuccessful. However in 2017, Mr Rowntree was elected as a county councillor in the Norfolk county council election.

Mr Rowntree has been a vocal critic of Brexit as well as Rishi Sunak's conservative government and criticised Jeremy Hunt's 2024 budget in no uncertain terms saying: “This is the weirdest budget ever. A bunch of minor policy announcements”.

He described the budget as “a waste of a hour”.

“Tiny policy announcements. Fiddling with the tax system. Bogus productivity savings rather than proper funding. AI fixing all problems".

Sharing today's announcement on X, Mr Rowntree said that he was 'absolutely thrilled'.

I'm absolutely thrilled to have been selected as the @UKLabour candidate for Mid Sussex!
Now the work begins.#Labour pic.twitter.com/RGMm1vWbAX

— Dave Rowntree (@DaveRowntree) March 6, 2024

The Blur drummer concluded his statement with "now the work begins".

As things stand, Labour looks likely to win a major victory in the next general election, the date for which has yet to be set. If the political party are successful- it will be the first election Labour have won since 2005 under the tenure of Tony Blair.

Rowntree’s selection comes at a time when the Labour Party is riding high in the polls at 47%, with the Conservatives sitting at an all-time low of 20%, meaning the Conservatives could be in opposition for the first time in 20 years.

Last year, Blur had a major reunion tour which saw the band playing a huge headliner in Malahide Castle summer 2023.