Paul O’Grady’s blistering rant against Tory austerity has just gone viral again and it’s sadly as relevant as ever
The nation woke up to the awful news today that the great Paul O’Grady has died, aged 67.
The presenter and comedian, who rose to fame in the ’90s with his drag queen persona Lily Savage, died ‘unexpectedly but peacefully’ on Tuesday evening.
Paul will be remembered for many, many things and everyone will have a particular favourite memory, from the Big Breakfast to The Paul O’Grady Show, via Blankety Blank and everything in between.
But one moment in particular was going viral today, his blistering rant against Tory austerity which went out on live TV back in 2010 and it’s as sadly relevant today – perhaps even more so – than it was then.
Paul O’Grady takes on the “Austerity Budget” live on TV in 2010…
“We should let them know that we are not taking these draconian cuts lightly”. pic.twitter.com/AQt4XcmOAG
— Tides of History (@labour_history) March 29, 2023
Absolute hero.
And here are just a few of the many things people were saying about it in the wake of Paul’s shocking death.
1.
Paul O'Grady was one of life's good guys. From well publicised charity work and campaigning on animal rights to the flame of social justice that burned strongly inside him.
He never forgot his roots in our region – and our region will never forget him. He will be missed. RIP. https://t.co/zSoGlBhzke
— Steve Rotheram (@MetroMayorSteve) March 29, 2023
2.
Everybody is remembering him for dogs and cuddly stuff but this working class Liverpool drag queen had proper political convictions and wasn’t afraid to air them. https://t.co/yVyXnnaMKq
— Lisa Power 🏴☠️ (@alisapower) March 29, 2023
3.
*serious voice*
Paul O'Grady always came across as having a fierce (and ultimately reciprocated) love for ordinary people despite living through periods when lots of ordinary people were dicks about people like him & that strikes me as a real moral achievement https://t.co/2BV2zUuhpl— Rob Palk (@robpalkwriter) March 29, 2023
4.
‘Vive La Birkenhead’
Paul knew the score. Rest in Power. https://t.co/7cAw7On3Ov
— Liam Thorp (@LiamThorpECHO) March 29, 2023
5.
https://twitter.com/betbinch/status/1640974538795110400?s=20
6.
Legend. RIP.
Can you imagine the shit he'd get from the hordes of anonymous fingersniffers on Twitter if he did this now?
Also, not much has changed in 13 years… https://t.co/qxVVNCwdcx
— Andy Dawson (@profanityswan) March 29, 2023
7.
Rest in peace Paul O’Grady ❤️
1955 – 2023
On Tory MPs cheering as George Osborne announced austerity cuts in 2010:
"Bastards!"
"I bet when they children they laughed at Bambi, when his mother got shot!" pic.twitter.com/RfkanlnDv7
— B heard media ❤️ #IStandWithJeremyCorbyn (@bheardmedia) March 29, 2023
8.
RIP to Paul O'Grady. I suppose we'll see this clip a lot today, but it can't be shown enough.
I'd love to know what went into its being broadcast and if he ever got any pushback. I've never seen anything so dazzlingly, righteously angry on Consensus Approved TV since. pic.twitter.com/XAwLfcEi9X
— The author, Séamas O'Reilly (@shockproofbeats) March 29, 2023
9.
🔥🔥🔥 every word of this. Still. Just superb https://t.co/ix1gBq2DOr
— Tom Jamieson (@jamiesont) March 29, 2023
10.
Paul O’Grady was an LGBT icon, searingly witty and extremely kind to animals, the best qualities a person can have
In 2010, on his prime time show, he called the coalition government "bastards". He was right.
It’ll be a less colourful world without him. pic.twitter.com/GBEJHOnAIB
— Supertanskiii (@supertanskiii) March 29, 2023
11.
This could have been recorded yesterday. How many of today’s hosts (with the exception of @joelycett) would have the balls? https://t.co/k0WOIikJMN
— Jamie I DID NOT PAY FOR THIS East (@jamieeast) March 29, 2023
Talking of Joe Lycett …
I’m sad about Paul O’Grady. I hoped I might meet him one day to tell him what an inspiration he was to me: how I loved gloriously loose & effortless his shows were, how he proved you could be political in a light ent space and that you could do all this & be really, really funny.
— Joe Lycett (@joelycett) March 29, 2023
RIP Paul O’Grady.
Source Twitter @labour_history
