Blur’s Dave Rowntree Loses Bid to Become UK Member of Parliament

Blur drummer Dave Rowntree has failed in his bid to become a member of the United Kingdom’s parliament. Rowntree stood for the centrist Labour Party in the Mid Sussex district, a long-standing stronghold for the embattled Conservative Party. The seat went to the Liberal Democrats, another centrist party, unseating the Tories for the first time since the constituency was established in 1974. Rowntree won roughly 17% of the vote compared to first place Alison Elizabeth Bennett’s 39% vote share. In the United Kingdom at large, Labour swept to victory, taking power for the first time since 2010.

After a couple of false starts, Rowntree won his first local election in 2017, earning a seat on Norwich County Council. He stood down in 2021, citing shielding responsibilities during the pandemic. Upon announcing his national government run, he said, “Residents have their best chance in a generation to make their vote count and return a Labour MP to parliament. The Tories have run out of ideas, and the Lib Dems have run out of steam. I’m running for parliament to provide the energy and vision the area so desperately needs.”

Rowntree took part in Blur’s recent reformation, which produced The Ballad of Darren and the forthcoming Live at Wembley Stadium album and film; he also released the solo album Radio Songs last year.