Blur drummer Dave Rowntree has revealed that he’s standing as a Labour MP at the next election to bring back ‘cool Brittania’.
The musician, 57, said he wants to restore national pride after Liz Truss‘s ‘calamitous’ time in No. 10 and feels a 90s revival is the way to do it.
He has criticised Rishi Sunak and the government, claiming they have trashed the UK’s international reputation and insisting that loving your country isn’t racist.
The Blur drummer said he wanted to roll back the clock to when loving your country was cool and union jacks were strewn everywhere – including all over Geri Halliwell in that iconic Spice Girls performance at the Brits in 1997.
Mr Rowntree said: ‘Wouldn’t that be wonderful if it was cool, and Britannia was cool again?
Blur was an iconic 90s band that was at the heart of ‘cool Brittania’ alongside Oasis
![The Blur drummer is hoping he can restore national pride as he stands as a Labour MP for Mid-Sussex](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/16/20/82548451-13205301-image-a-55_1710619552314.jpg)
![Dave Rowntree is hoping he can be Mid-Sussex's next Labour MP](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/16/20/82547153-13205301-image-m-54_1710619548924.jpg)
Dave Rowntree is hoping to park his music career to focus on working as an MP full time if elected
![In an interview with The Sun on Sunday he criticised the government, claiming they had trashed the UK's international reputation](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/16/20/82547327-13205301-image-a-57_1710619887298.jpg)
In an interview with The Sun on Sunday he criticised the government, claiming they had trashed the UK’s international reputation
During the 1990s ‘Cool Brittania’ took over the world and Britpop music dominated the charts as Oasis, Blur and The Spice Girls battled it out to take the number one spot.
The 57-year-old is hoping that his election to Westminster at the next general election could see a revival of the 90s phenomenon where bandmembers and politicians rubbed shoulders at boozy parties.
Although Mr Rowntree described the parties hosted by Tony Blair in Downing Street as nonsense he did say that it was an special time to live through.
He explained that there was a strong culture of national pride and he is now hoping he can bring that back.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun on Sunday: ‘That’s the weird thing that we inherited from the 1970s – that if you love the UK and living in the UK you have to be blind to its faults and you have to be a racist.
‘Well none of that’s true.’
The musician is now hoping to spread a message of pride in Britain after branding the country’s international standing as embarrassing.
And he’s willing to put his music career on hold if he is elected to parliament.
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/16/20/82547155-13205301-image-a-65_1710620987800.jpg)
![Mr Rowntree with music producer Dave Ford at the Brit awards. the famous drummer is hoping to step away his music career to enter into the political ring](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/16/20/82547165-13205301-image-m-59_1710620629175.jpg)
Mr Rowntree with music producer Dave Ford at the Brit awards. the famous drummer is hoping to step away his music career to enter into the political ring
![Blur have headlined Glastonbury three times and one on numerous world tours](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/16/20/82547171-13205301-image-a-60_1710620791645.jpg)
Blur have headlined Glastonbury three times and one on numerous world tours
![Blur spent the 90s battling it out for chart supremacy with Oasis. Clockwise from left to right: Alex James, Dave Rowntree, Graham Coxon, Damon Albam](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/16/20/82548373-13205301-image-a-61_1710620799976.jpg)
Blur spent the 90s battling it out for chart supremacy with Oasis. Clockwise from left to right: Alex James, Dave Rowntree, Graham Coxon, Damon Albam
Mr Rowntree is running for Parliament for Mid Sussex at a time when many MPs are turning their backs on their political life due to abuse and threats.
Despite the fears over MPs safety, the drummer insisted he wasn’t worried for his personal safety an said it was essential that MPs are accessible to the public.
He also assured the paper he wasn’t entering into the race blindly and was hoping to make real change.
In a surprising detail, revealed during the interview, the 57-year-old said he would vote for former music rival Noel Gallagher if he ran for MP, describing him as a lovely man.
Turning to his own bandmates he admitted that they were surprised about his decision to stray into politics having always aimed for political neutrality.
But the would-be MP is hoping to shake up British politics and restore faith in parliament.
The 90s star also lifted the lid on Blur and Oasis’s infamous feud which he claimed was started after Liam and Damon realised they were chasing the same girl – but refused to reveal her identity.
![Mr Rowntree admitted that his bandmates are surprised by his decision to stand as an MP - the band have always shied away from politics](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/16/20/82547335-13205301-image-a-62_1710620878421.jpg)
Mr Rowntree admitted that his bandmates are surprised by his decision to stand as an MP – the band have always shied away from politics
![While the 57-year-old spoke warmly of his music career at the top of the charts, he didn't look back fondly on the culture sexism that was rife in the music industry](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/16/20/82547337-13205301-image-a-64_1710620965156.jpg)
While the 57-year-old spoke warmly of his music career at the top of the charts, he didn’t look back fondly on the culture sexism that was rife in the music industry
![During his interview, the drummer revealed he would vote for Noel Gallagher if he ran as an MP, describing him as lovely.](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/16/20/82547175-13205301-image-a-63_1710620885724.jpg)
During his interview, the drummer revealed he would vote for Noel Gallagher if he ran as an MP, describing him as lovely.
A defining moment in British pop-culture, the bands would regularly take pop-shots at each other in the press and Mr Rowntree said that what started off as friendly banter soon turned into a feud full of animosity.
Looking back, the drummer said he didn’t regret it as the constant sparring helped catapult both bands to world-wide fame.
In fact the band have gone on world tours and headlined Glastonbury three times.
Although the group’s British roots didn’t always translate across the pond.
For their famous 1995 The Great Escape tour, the set featured light up flying burgers as a nod to the mad cow disease panic that was sweeping Britain which seemingly went over the heads of their American fans.
While the 57-year-old spoke warmly of his music career at the top of the charts, he didn’t look back fondly on the culture sexism that was rife in the music industry and filtered down from the management company to the stars themselves.
Despite a commitment to focus on his MP duties full time if he wins the Mid Sussex seat, the band are still going strong and will be playing Coachella in the US next month.