Matt Forde's Political Party podcast has moved to the West End for a run of live recordings, with the first guest being Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham. The comedian gave the former Labour Cabinet Minister a 'light toasting' rather than a full grilling, mixing serious discussion with relaxed anecdotes.
Forde opened with stand-up satire, including jokes about Boris Johnson's Kermit the Frog reference and a gag comparing SNP's call for army help to 'Ajockalypse Now'. His Donald Trump impression was a highlight, showing why he misses the former US president.
Burnham, fresh from the Labour Party Conference in Brighton, repeated familiar 'levelling up' soundbites. He wants Manchester's bus network to copy London's model to reduce fares and called for 'social care on NHS terms'. The mayor's reasonable tone meant the conversation never fully ignited, leaving the audience gently entertained.
When pressed on Sir Keir Starmer, Burnham said he supported the Labour leader, who just needs something to 'cut through'. He avoided discussing his own ambitions, even when handed a 'Future PM' T-shirt. Instead, he emphasised his Mancunian credentials, recalling seeing Johnny Marr perform and joking about inviting Michael Gove to a Hacienda night.
Forde closed with a tough question on Angela Rayner's 'Scum' description of the Tories. Burnham replied, 'I wouldn't have used that kind of language,' almost word-for-word matching Starmer's response. The show runs fortnightly on Mondays until July 2022.
