Eddie Izzard announced her campaign to be selected as the Labour candidate for Sheffield Central this month. This follows a declaration in August this year when being interviewed by BBC Radio Sheffield. There are now six candidates vying to be picked by the Labour Party, with Abtisam Mohamed and Jayne Dunn also gaining serious endorsements from Lord Blunkett, and the GMB and UNISON respectively.
Sheffield Central is viewed as a relatively safe seat for Labour, with Paul Blomfield securing a majority win of over 27,000 in the last general election.
Over the coming weeks, Izzard will be driving her campaign to move from the ‘long list’ to be nominated as the prospective parliamentary candidate (PPC), though it may be that she is viewed as a divisive figure at a time when Labour wants to take advantage of disarray in the Conservative ranks to push for a general election.
Identity politics: confected controversies in place of nuance?
Internal division though seems to be haunting the Labour Party though with Kent MP Rosie Duffield stating that she would rather face arrest than call Eddie Izzard a woman. Sir Keir Starmer then faced questions on LBC over whether Izzard could qualify to be included on an all-woman shortlist, where he outlined the potential illegality of continuing with such a list in the first place:
“We have been the party of equality for women for many, many years and many of the changes in the laws in relation to equality have been because of a Labour Government. Now more that 50% are women, there’s a legal opinion that says we can’t use them anymore.”
Starmer then made clear his experience and strong support for the Equality Act 2010, with its list of protected characteristics – a point too subtle perhaps for his audience.
On 24 October, Izzard’s campaign had to release a statement over a media storm over an all-woman shortlist, where she stated clearly, “I personally have never asked and have never been offered a place on an all-woman shortlist. This has been a position that I have held since I joined the Labour Party in 1995. I have never changed my position on this and have never asked anyone to change position for me now”.
Facing up to wanton prejudice
The UK has already had its first transgender MP with Jamie Wallis, Tory MP for Bridgend, releasing a statement in March of this year, allegedly following a joke from Boris Johnson about trans people. It seems odd therefore, that the Sheffield Central selection is being beset with articles and media coverage, not about local politics and impact, but rather about transphobia. All six candidates for Sheffield Central have released a joint statement, where they share their values of solidarity against ‘vitriolic abuse’.
“As longlisted candidates to be Labour Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Sheffield Central, we are appalled by the significant amount of vitriolic abuse that has been directed towards candidates, including racism and transphobia. Nobody should be subjected to persistent and targeted abuse because of who they are, how they identify, or their race or ethnicity. We stand in solidarity with all candidates.”
Eddie Izzard in her own words…
I caught up with Izzard on the campaign trail and discussed her ambitions and vision for the people of Sheffield Central.
BM: What do you feel is the number one priority for Sheffield Central?
EI: Access to public services is key. There is a real range of social experience in Sheffield and there needs to be more investment. There’s a new wind for Sheffield and I would be using my national profile as an activist to benefit the people of Sheffield and make Sheffield the city of choice rather than Manchester or Birmingham. Everyone has the right to a fair chance in life and I will be focusing on delivering this positive message. Sheffield can be the vanguard on inclusivity for all.
BM: After being politically active for so long, what has been the motivation to stand now?
EI: It all dates back to 2008 and a Newsweek interview I did in Louisville – this is not a new, nor a sudden motivation – where I stated that I was thinking of standing. In 2010, I said that I was definitely standing, so I have always been consistent. Now that the focus is on getting Sir Keir Starmer into Number 10, and with the repeal of the Fixed-Term Parliament Act, and with the announcement of Paul Blomfield, this seemed like the time.
BM: How would you respond to people who claim that celebrities should not stand for political office?
EI: All people vote emotionally and it’s important to have a strong character to get through to people. People want to be inspired and this isn’t anything new in the UK – Glenda Jackson has stood before and when Obama stood, he wasn’t a celebrity. The people of Sheffield have been very supportive of me and now I want to support them. I have been a positive export for the UK through my drama and comedy work and have made connections with global audiences. This is more about the right person who can listen to the people and be positive about the world.
BM: You are well known as a friend of Europe. How do you resolve this with Sir Keir Starmer’s position on re-joining the EU?
EI: It’s important to listen to the country and about being disciplined and about moving forward. A Labour government can help Sheffield achieve its true potential and this should be the focus now.
BM: What are your personal qualities that would help your future selection as the candidate?
EI: The qualities of being a good candidate and MP are that you should be an excellent communicator. I have demonstrated this through my comedy awards and acts in multiple languages, as well as my charity work through my 43 marathons. The ability to analyse and put in place systems that help operationally is also a crucial skill. Finally, it’s about having an inspiring vision that can bring people along. The 21st century is the coming-of-age time for humanity and we all have the potential to add to the human existence in a positive manner to better the experience for us all.
BM: In your campaign video, you added in that you are trans right at the end, almost as an afterthought. Is it your hope that people will also view this identity as secondary to your personal qualities?
EI: Absolutely. I have been out for 37 years now. People are aware of this, or should be by now. There is a shouty minority that capture news and media time with their views, but to them I say, join the 21st century. Trans people have been about since the dawn of time. Being authentic to your self has always been my mantra. On the street, I hear many more positive, supportive comments from the diverse people whom I meet about what I can bring to being the candidate for Sheffield Central.
Is it time for UK politics to grow up and put politics before personality?
Over the last few years, we have been deluged on a daily basis by the ‘celebrity cult’ of politicians: of what ‘Boris’ or ‘BoJo’ is up to now; of ‘Sturgeon’s’ independence plans, rather than the Scottish National Party’s plans; or of ‘Rishi’s’ views on a range of topics.
Do we deserve the politics that we receive? Or as an educated public, can we hold our representatives to a higher bar and demand that bigoted rhetoric, used only to maximise the visibility of otherwise minor players, such as Lee Anderson and his latest comments on Izzard, is no longer part of what we value.
There are commonalities to these fake ‘culture wars’ – in that, what we, as voters, become distracted from is the policies, values and qualities of candidates and instead are manipulated into the media obsession for what is ‘clickable’. Instead of the surface presentation, we should be expecting more gravitas from our politicians, rather than the veneration of personalities like Johnson. Instead of allowing wedges to be driven between groups, we should be focusing on the crises that we are all trying to cope with.
Izzard’s campaign to be selected as the Labour PPC for Sheffield Central has shone a light on identity politics and for that at least, we should be thankful. It is worth asking why an experienced political activist like Izzard, with a clear vision for Sheffield, is being subject to this tabloid frenzy, when it is clear that she has been in this campaign for the long run and to enhance the lives of others.
In the last week, we have seen the revolving door of cabinet appointments and changes in prime ministers and this has dominated discourse, rather than a focus on policies that would serve the British people in the face of the energy crisis, the food crisis, and the climate crisis.
With pressure looming for a general election before 2024, it is hoped that this season may see the start of mature grown-up politics in the UK, so that people can make informed judgments on policy that will be best for the country at a time when it needs it the most.
