​Blur's Dave Rowntree to stand as Labour candidate for 2024 general election

Blur's Dave Rowntree has been selected as a Labour candidate for the upcoming UK general election.

The drummer confirmed yesterday (March 6) that he will be running to become the first Labour MP for the Conservative-held constituency of Mid Sussex, writing on Twitter that he is "absolutely thrilled" but "now the work begins."

The seat has been held by current Tory MP Mims Davies since 2019, however, according to The Guardian, Davies has announced that she will stand for new consistency East Grinstead and Uckfield — which consists of parts of the current Mid Sussex seat.

No stranger to local politics, Rowntree has been associated with the Labour from as early as 2007, with an article in The Guardian published that year detailing the diverging political paths between Blur's band members noting that Rowntree had "moved to London and joined the Labour Party."

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The BBC has covered Rowntree’s political movements over the years, finding that he has been the Labour candidate for the Cities of London and Westminster constituency, and more recently, Councillor for Norfolk County.

As well as being the drummer for Blur since 1988, the musician-turned-politician revealed to the Guardian he has been a criminal lawyer, animator and flying instructor, alongside studying for a degree in astronomy.

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Politics and Britpop were firs intertwined in the '90s, when leading members of Blur and Oasis first came out in public support for Tony Blair’s New Labour movement.

However, Blur frontman Damon Albarn reportedly turned down a career in politics back in 1997, after a meeting with soon-to-be Prime Minister Tony Blair “terrified” him.

The Gorillaz founder cited that despite his “strong views”, his place remained within music.

Blur released their ninth studio album ‘The Balled Of Darren’ last year, and are set to perform at Coachella this April alongside the likes of Doja Cat, Tyler, The Creator and Lana Del Rey.