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Satirist Cody Dahler joins Lewis Goodall to discuss the two biggest shifts in British politics of late: Andy Burnham's return to Westminster, and Nigel Farage's finances. 0:00 - Andy Burnham's return to Westminster 6:26 - Farage falling into 'the soup' again Labour MP Lucy Powell has hit out at Nigel Farage over claims he accepted "eye-watering" donations, including most recently from a convicted fraudster and crypto tycoon, insisting all MPs "know the rules". Speaking on Sunday with Lewis Goodall, the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party insisted allegations linked to Farage accepting donations was "causing quite a lot of damage to his brand" and was "coming up on the doorstep". "We all know as members of parliament, if you’re unsure, declare it,” Ms Powell told LBC. It comes after Farage was referred to the parliamentary standards committee on Sunday over claims he violated rules by accepting support from convicted criminal and crypto-gambler George Cottrell, 32, and failed to properly declare the donations. A spokesman for Mr Farage denied the latest allegations, with Liberal Democrat MP, Josh Babarinde, writing to the parliamentary standards committee on Sunday. “We have these declaration and transparency rules for a reason, to ensure - the public and each other - we can be sure that any support we receive as a politician, as a public figure, is transparent,” Powell insisted. The latest reports claim Farage received undeclared support - including security and social media staff - from crypto-gambler and convicted criminal Cottrell, in the run-up to his appointment as an MP. The investigation also claims Farage used a property rented by Cottrell, 32, near Buckingham Palace. Posting to X on Sunday, Babarinde posted a copy of the letter he had written to the standards committee, raising "serious concerns" about the nature of the donations in the wake of Mr Farage's £5 million donation. "Mr Farage has made a career out of 'taking back control' but he is not being straight with the British people," the Liberal Democrats president and MP for Bournemouth said. Listen to the full show on the all-new LBC App: https://app.af.lbc.co.uk/btnc/thenewlbcapp #TypeInPresenterName #TypeInTopic #LBC LBC is the home of live debate around news and current affairs in the UK. Join in the conversation and listen at https://www.lbc.co.uk/ Sign up to LBC’s weekly newsletter here: https://l-bc.co/signup
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0:00
Weird to think about, but Keir Starmer has been marking this weekend
0:03
not just the 250th anniversary of the United States, and God bless him, we've all been in our own ways, I'm sure, marking that
0:10
but his own two-year anniversary of becoming prime minister, and we all know he ain't getting a third, so enjoy it, Keir
0:16
Cody Dala is a satirist, political commentator, author of Thicky Thicky Dum Dum's Guide to Politics
0:21
and we've invited him back mainly because I just like saying that repeatedly. I'll just say it again. He's the author of a Thicky Thicky Dum Dum's Guide to Politics
0:28
Cody thanks so much for coming back thank you for having me um two years and not a third are you sad
0:33
um I don't know really uh well I was quick sorry I was trying to think deeply yeah the answer is
0:41
I'm afraid no yeah no are you from your impression of all the people who watch and listen to your
0:46
stuff are they sad no absolutely not I think I think Starmer is sort of uh he's just sort of
0:52
cardboard care I think it's like everyone was sort of slightly although I think we're all kind
0:56
of now having this sort of Mandela effect where it's like, I think we thought we were all excited when he won
1:00
in 2024, and then it took about three minutes to realise actually the person who won was Keir Starmer
1:05
and we actually weren't that excited about it, and it's taken us now another two years to realise exactly
1:10
the reasons we weren't excited about it. So it's sort of, I feel like we've just had a general election
1:14
and we're starting again. Are you on Threads? I'm actually not on Threads, no. Okay, well if you want to find
1:18
the remaining people who continue to be excited about Keir Starmer, I would advise you to join Threads. Are they only on Threads
1:22
Say something negative about Keir Starmer, and they'll still be attacking you for it in about 24 months time so that would be my advice to you if
1:28
you fancy a little bit of fun this weekend um how do you think we'll remember him oh i think i think
1:34
we'll remember his hair more than anything he's leaning into that he did about gel his hair gel
1:39
exactly and i think that that that is i think shows really the sort of desperation that that's
1:45
the real legacy and i think i can't imagine he'd feel super good about being like okay kia we've
1:50
looked at the last two years and we really need to get that sort of legacy
1:54
piece. Why don't you endorse Bumble and Bumble? Unfortunately, they've decided it is indeed his hair
2:01
And Burnham, I mean, obviously we've seen, I mean, Starmer is easy to satirise. And
2:06
indeed, you know, we've had George Warrakes on the show, he's done Saturday Night Live and he did a brilliant job
2:10
at that. Others as well. He is easy. For a man with relatively little outward personality
2:14
it's quite easy to actually sort of project something onto him in that way. Burnham
2:18
is, how do you think it will, how How easy do you think it would be to satirise him
2:22
I suppose he's a professional northerner, isn't he? That's the thing. Yes, I mean, there's something quite funny about him, you know, leaving Westminster
2:29
sailing off to be mayor of Manchester, and then as soon as it looks like he could become
2:33
prime minister, he's leaving Manchester behind and flying back down. I hate this place
2:37
I hate it here. I actually don't like it up here. But I want to be here very bad. He's a bit scouse, isn't he
2:42
And now suddenly getting into Downing Street and then being like, oh, but I am still going to have a number 10 north
2:46
I love this this week when he said, in his speech, which, you know, is interesting, but But like his first line when he went, he said, God, I've missed you all
2:52
He's been away for a week, mate. He's just been away for a week. But he has to say that, Lewis
2:56
He's got to say that. He cannot believe the people have gone off. God, it's good to be back. It's fantastic. It's fantastic to be back
3:00
I'm wearing a T-shirt. I'm not wearing a shirt anymore. That's very Westminster. I'm wearing a T-shirt now
3:04
We both wearing T We climatising to the new era aren we Yeah we are But I wearing a T no jacket You wearing a T jacket which I think is far more Burnham Well as I said before I waiting until Farage gets in I be wearing my plus fours Rothmans in hand
3:17
Bright red chinos. Yeah, a big glass of claret on the table at all times. Actually, that'd be fine with me anyway, to be honest
3:24
Burnham coming in, I mean, what's your sense again from everyone who watches and listens to you
3:28
Are people excited about it, do you think? Well, do you know, I'm not entirely sure
3:34
My personal view is that I'm very cautious of Burnham because I think, you know, it's interesting
3:41
one of the pieces you were running earlier is about him getting rid of a sort of number 10 boys club
3:45
I mean, the latest I've heard is about him replacing two... The number 10 North boys club. Oh, North boys club
3:49
But I mean, you know, all of the talk at the moment is him getting rid of two female cabinet ministers
3:54
and replacing them with Miliband. So, I mean, I think we've got to be cautious with that. Or Baron Balls
4:00
Or Baron Balls. Which I suppose would make Yvette Cooper lady balls. Yeah, I spat my water out when I heard that in the green room
4:05
Barron balls. But I think, you know, he's appointed James Purnell. He's got Miliband back
4:11
You know, James Purnell, for the last few years, has been working for a company called Flint Global
4:15
which is a corporate lobbying firm which represented Thames Water. And now Burnham's quietly..
4:19
Not located in Flint, North Wales. Not located in Flint, North Wales, you know
4:24
And now, yeah, he's sort of... We're scaling back the... Taking things into public ownership
4:28
And I think he's just sort of continuity... Starmer, really. You know, this Labour government, more than any other, has welcomed in the lobbyists
4:35
I know. But, I mean, you know, Keir Starmer, before he became Prime Minister, did a big speech to business and said, you know, when we get into government, you come in with us
4:42
I mean, there's no sign that Burnham's going to kick out any business interests, despite him saying, you know
4:47
Well, he said he'll kick out Palantir from the NHS. Did he? I mean, have we absolutely nailed that down
4:51
Well, I think it's quite hard to do. I think it was briefing. Not nail briefing
4:56
It's very hard, famously. You don't know how many free T-shirts Palantir are going to send in through the post. so we've got to keep an open mind about it
5:03
He has, though. I mean, he says he genuinely wants to bring a sort of new culture and new politics
5:07
You're right. The thing that I put it to Alex Davis-Jones, there is, it does feel like, to me, a bit of a tension
5:12
which is that, you know, he says he wants to represent renewal, fair enough, but also his instinct
5:18
and I can understand this. Everyone knows they call on people that they know and think are good, but then, as you say
5:22
bringing back the Miliband brothers, sorry, when I say the Miliband brothers, it makes me sound like the Kray brothers or something
5:26
doesn't it? It's like the middle-class Kray brothers. The Millie brothers. Bring back the Miliband brothers, bringing back Ed Balls
5:31
bringing back James Pennell, bringing back the Craze. Now, that would be a move. Home Secretary, Minister for Security
5:37
No, but, you know, there is a tension there, isn't there? If you're a new one, then you're basically bringing back the bros from 2011 or whatever it was
5:44
And actually, in a way, I think this is the biggest problem, which is that, you know, like or hate Keir Starmer
5:50
I think most of us are agreed where we sit on that one. He did, you know, he had four years in opposition to come up with a programme of government
5:56
Some people do really like him, you know. Some people like him, fine. But he then spent two years failing to put that policy programme into effect
6:03
Burnham has had, what, three, four weeks? And I think the problem with British politics, at least I'm beginning to learn
6:10
is that there is a big bunch of corporate interests that sit on the sidelines waiting to tell our politicians what they should think
6:15
Keir Starmer is the embodiment of that And so Burnham having three weeks to work out a programme of government I don think bodes very well for him not being susceptible to those people who are going to tell him what to think
6:26
And meanwhile, our old friend Nigel Farage, he's in the soup again, as Evelyn Wall might have said
6:32
What do you make of this latest revelation to the Sunday Times? I mean, this is brilliant
6:36
I mean, so this is, yeah, the Sunday Times brought out, they did an investigative piece revealing that Farage is in the pocket
6:44
of a 32-year-old crypto-betting aristocrat called George Cottrell. Also convicted in the United States
6:50
Also convicted, spent eight months in prison in the United States for wire fraud. He was a minor character in the male version of Orange is a New Black
6:57
Just a minor character. And, of course, George, Georgie calls Farage Daddy Farage
7:03
What did you make of that? I mean, there are so many weird things about Farage
7:09
but, I mean, I guess that is maybe up there. But it doesn't surprise me because this is, again, slowly coming to terms with the fact that the Reform UK machine is a big group of sort of posh boys with daddy issues who kind of like limpets attach themselves to the ever corruptible Farage
7:25
I mean, George Cottrell in this Times piece was the person who hired three members of staff, paid for himself to completely reinvent Nigel Farage's social media platform
7:35
He gives Nigel Farage access to his, you know, multi-million pound penthouse, five-story house, 30 seconds walk away from Buckingham Palace that he rents
7:45
Farage has access to that. And so we're slowly beginning to learn, purely because Farage has become an MP and we now have access to these documents
7:52
we're beginning to learn that brand Farage is literally a product of some crypto betting millennials
7:59
I should say two things. Christopher Harbourn is not a millennial. Christopher Harbourn isn't, no
8:04
And secondly, these are allegations rather than revelations. And Mr Farage says that they have not affected his work whatsoever
8:12
And that these are not, they're all within the rules because they date to periods before he was an MP
8:17
Yeah, I'll just say the word allegedly and then you can cut that in front of whoever. Yeah, we'll just put it
8:21
Oh, this is live. It's live, so it's quite hard to do that, actually, Cody. So this will be the last Sunday with Lewis Goodall, so we might as well just go for it
8:27
Do you think it will affect his popularity? I think we're seeing that. If you'd have asked me six months ago, I'd have said absolutely not
8:33
But I think we are actually now seeing that. You know, he stopped doing his Friday press briefings in exchange for doing sort of 30 second clips standing in a field saying, what do you want
8:42
And I think his his behavior is slowly changing to, I think, reflect the fact that he can't be in an environment now where he's asked questions about his affairs, because the more questions that get asked
8:54
He just says it's got nothing to do with you, which is an interesting tactic for an incoming prime minister
8:58
If I want to buy a Ferrari, I can. Yeah. Imagine if Starmer had said that about his glasses
9:03
you know what, it's got nothing to do with you. I might have worked better, who knows? Glasses can be very expensive here
9:08
Ferraris, I'll get it secondhand. Have you been to Specsavers? He does that, Farage
9:13
He does have this line where he just goes sort of like, I don't need this, I don't need this
9:17
And he's like, well, no one else needs it either. Exactly, you are doing this
9:22
You are here because of your own choosing. What do you think we got wrong about Farage when he was being described as unassailable six months ago Well I actually think That a really good question actually
9:36
I'm not sure. I mean, he has this incredible ability to basically play the Trump handbook right
9:41
which is that, well, of course you're saying this. And actually, this is the line at the end of the Sunday Times article
9:45
where Reform UK's statement says, oh, well, they've just brought out a podcast that they're trying to promote
9:50
And he has this great ability to play on that, to just transfer attention to the vested interest in the media
9:57
But I think people are starting to grow a bit tired of that. You can do it once or twice. Well, also, they always make the biggest mistakes
10:02
when they just transpose American politics onto our politics. Exactly. Our politics just isn't as broken
10:06
People aren't as polarised. And so in America, you can get away with that because you can basically just 40% of the American voters
10:13
who will just completely accept whatever Trump says come what may. We don't have that level of polarisation, thank God, just yet
10:19
And so people actually look at something and actually are way more likely to believe it or disbelieve it
10:24
according to the facts of the case. Completely. Which might seem like a low bar, but, you know, we are where we are
10:30
Well, completely. It's 2026. I also think people in the UK have less of a..
10:33
We're less sort of worshipful of business people. I mean, I know Farage isn't a business person
10:38
Exactly. I mean, politicians in particular. But, you know, all the MAGA heads in America are like
10:43
well, Donald Trump's an incredibly successful businessman. I mean, no one in the UK thinks Farage is a successful businessman
10:49
You know, he says himself there's no money in politics. He did a bit of metals trading about 30 years ago
10:53
Well, exactly. He traded some bauxite futures once. Yes, exactly. Then the big bang happened in 86
10:57
and all the professional outfits came in and said, you can't actually have an eight-hour lunch. Are we, just finally, Cody, are we heading for
11:03
I always feel we have this question. It comes up whenever there's a new prime minister
11:07
which is pretty regular now. Are we actually heading for some normality again in British politics
11:14
Do you know, I think maybe... Can Burnham do it? I am personally doubtful
11:19
I think, you know, there's a lot of talk at the moment of change and making people feel like things are improving
11:25
I mean, that's incredibly easy to say. Whether, and I think this goes back to what I was saying about kind of corporate interests
11:31
and I don't want to sound like a sort of loon, but, you know, we have an incredibly sophisticated lobbying infrastructure in this country that do, you know
11:39
they send people to our minister's private offices, they suggest policies. And from what I've seen of Burnham is those same people are still around him
11:47
so whether we're going to see a radical departure in policy I am
11:51
joy's out do you think he can actually make the transition from being Mr Northern to
11:55
actually Prime Minister because it could just irritate people after a while right I mean there is that kind of
11:59
everyone knows a kind of professional northerner right who's like kind of like you know you offer them some milk
12:03
and you say oh buy it I don't have tea no I don't have milk in my tea what do you think I am
12:07
some fancy pants there's all that you know everyone knows someone like that
12:11
and there's a little bit of that it could just irritate people in the end right
12:15
Yeah, I mean... I drink pure poison every day of the week. Give me some pure formaldehyde, lovely
12:20
You'll be seeing him with a Pratt sandwich in a couple of days. Oh, we ought to. Yeah, you know, completely
12:24
He's Mr Small Plate, Steve Brown. Yeah, he'll slowly transition into Mr Northerner and the Big Smoke
12:31
Yes, which is even worse. Cody Daller there, a satirist political commentator
12:35
and author of, let's say it again one more time, Elliot, we should get this as a jingle, Thickey Thickey Dum Dum's Guide to Politics
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