Yahoo Movies Angela Rayner’s DJ set compared with Matt Hancock’s I’m A Celebrity appearance
Angela Rayner has been defended after comparisons were made between her charity DJ set and Matt Hancock’s appearance on I'm a Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!
The deputy Labour leader entertained partygoers on Friday night as part of an event organised by Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, to fundraise for emergency beds and food for rough sleepers.
Footage went viral of Ms Rayner dancing behind the decks as she played Set You Free, a classic rave track first released in 1992 by the dance act N-Trance.
Responding to a comment that likened the clip to the behaviour of Mr Hancock, who spent three weeks in Australia for his appearance on the ITV reality show, Mr Burnham tweeted:
Because that was for his own enrichment. Angela did not gain personally from last night but gave our homeless charity a lot.👍🏻
— Andy Burnham (@AndyBurnhamGM) December 4, 2022
In a separate tweet, he continued:
Oh, and by the way, to all the Westminster experts who commented on last night’s event but weren’t there:
Our North West region rivals anywhere in the world for our musical culture.
We need politicians that celebrate this - not hide away from it.
Is that understood? Thanks. 🙏🏻— Andy Burnham (@AndyBurnhamGM) December 3, 2022
Mr Burnham faced off against Steve Rotheram, the Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, as they performed rival DJ sets at the event, during which he played tracks including music by the 90s “Madchester” band Inspiral Carpets.
On Saturday, Ms Rayner posted a grainy 51-second clip of her, which has been watched more than 1.6 million times.
Just can't be doing a DJ set without a bit of Oldham’s very own N-Trance #OnlyLoveCanSetYouFree #Manchester ♥️
Thank you @AndyBurnhamGM @MetroMayorSteve @WHP_MCR @Rowetta @suejohnstontv @ntrance pic.twitter.com/CZAveYIEBL— Angela Rayner 🌹 (@AngelaRayner) December 3, 2022
Kevin O'Toole, one of the members of N-Trance, wrote on Twitter in response to the footage: “I really like Andy Burnham and wish he was leader of the Labour Party.
“As a band we don’t like to get involved in politics, as we all have our own views within the band.”
In a reference to New Labour picking Things Can Only Get Better as the party’s general election anthem prior to the 1997 landslide, Mr O’Toole quipped: “Should have picked our song over D:Ream though in the 90s."
Ms Rayner was also pictured on Friday night with the singer Rowetta, the voice behind Happy Mondays classics including Step On.
The charity event formed part of the 1,000 Beds for Christmas campaign, an initiative organised by the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity.
Its festive fundraising appeal, which looks to provide wraparound support to help people move into more permanent accommodation, has raised just over £9,000 to date.
