Moving the needle - Tom Gray of Gomez on swapping the recording studio for the campaign trail, and what being in a band teaches you about politics.

Politics on the Couch

Rafael Behr talks to Tom Gray from Gomez about his bid to become a Brighton MP.

Tom's had a hugely successful career in music with Gomez rocketing to fame in 1998, beating Pulp and Massive Attack, among others, to the Mercury Prize.

More recently he launched the Broken Record campaign, calling for a fairer deal for musicians from streaming services, among other industry reforms.

And now, having banged on the doors to demand political change from the outside, Tom wants to get on the inside.

He's on the shortlist to be selected as Labour's prospective parliamentary candidate for the Brighton Pavilion constituency

That's the only seat in the country with a green MP right now, Caroline Lucas, although she's standing down at the next election.

Raf asks Tom what makes someone want to swap what looks like the perfect job, recording and performing music for eager fans, for the grim, and potentially thankless life of a politician where I think it's safe to say the audiences are less than adoring.

https://twitter.com/MrTomGray

https://twitter.com/TG4Pavilion

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