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Free Malaysia Today
a day ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
MIPP slams Urimai, says Ramasamy has no credibility among Indians
MIPP's S Subramaniam says that unlike P Ramasamy's Urimai, MIPP operates as a registered political party within PN and is focused on building a formidable and constructive Indian political force. PETALING JAYA : Malaysian Indian People's Party (MIPP) deputy president S Subramaniam has hit back at Urimai leaders, describing the movement's chairman, P Ramasamy, as an 'opportunist' with no real credibility among the Indian community. 'Is Ramasamy a real leader? Does Ramasamy have any credibility? 'Why did he leave DAP? He didn't leave DAP because of the community; he left because he didn't get a seat in the previous state election. He is an opportunist,' Subramaniam told FMT. His remarks came after Selangor Urimai chief K Gunasekaran accused Perikatan Nasional (PN) of failing to draw 'real Indian leaders' with grassroots support. Gunasekaran also pointed out that Indian voters have yet to rally behind the opposition coalition despite growing disenchantment with the Madani administration. He also criticised those who represented the Indian community at the recent Turun Anwar rally, saying the speakers were unfamiliar and lacked credibility within the community. Subramaniam, however, dismissed the allegations, insisting that PN was making steady inroads among Indian voters. 'Nationwide, we have built the support of 20% of Indians (for PN). At every by-election, we get about 30-35% of the Indian vote, so on average nationwide, we have about 20%. 'So what is he talking about when he says MIPP has no credibility?' he said. He said his party plays a legitimate and structured role in shaping Indian political representation through its position in the PN coalition. Subramaniam said that unlike Urimai, MIPP operated as a registered political party within PN and was focused on building a formidable and constructive Indian political force. He added that MIPP's 'Reset' campaign was actively engaging the Indian community nationwide to address systemic issues and secure opportunities lost due to decades of ineffective leadership. As part of PN, Subramaniam said MIPP was positioned within the 'government-in-waiting' and was working through legitimate channels for tangible progress. On whether MIPP was open to working with Urimai, Subramaniam said the party was not against collaboration but questioned its legitimacy. 'We can work with anybody. But are you even an official party? You can't even secure your party's registration. So why are you talking about credibility? 'Urimai is just a movement. It's not even an NGO. Ask them to register first. If they cannot become a party, register as an NGO first. Then we can work together,' he said. The Registrar of Societies (RoS) informed Urimai on July 4 last year that its application to be registered as a political party had been rejected. Ramasamy subsequently announced that home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail had also rejected Urimai's appeal. He said that an official from the ministry conveyed Saifuddin's decision 'without providing any reasons for the rejection'. On Feb 27, the Kuala Lumpur High Court granted the party leave to initiate judicial review proceedings against the government's decision. The case is ongoing.
Fox News
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Obama's Henchman Fire Back At The Bidens
The Democrat machine strikes back at the Bidens, as the party's cold war hits a dangerous inflection point. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
Scotsman
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Scotsman
'I just thought, oh, f***king hell, he's going to batter me': comedian Matt Forde on political impressions
Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... "On the whole, they're not flattered. In fact, I would say they are entirely not flattered.' The political comedian and impressionist Matt Forde is addressing whether he ever gets feedback from those he impersonates. Do politicians take offence, or are they flattered? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad "I think all of them feel like it doesn't really sound like them,' he says. 'I think some of them are slightly freaked out, almost like you've hit upon something, that you've noticed something about them that they didn't realise they did; that you've picked up on a mannerism and somehow you've gazed into their soul, do you know what I mean? I think there's something quite creepy about it for them." Matt Forde | David Monteith-Hodge Lee Anderson, the outspoken Reform MP for Ashfield, messaged him recently after learning he was the target of a routine. "He said, 'I heard you've been impersonating me'. I just thought, 'Oh, f**king hell, he's going to batter me if he gets his hands on me,'' Forde jokes. "I think in a way they're slightly flattered. I think they'd rather be impersonated than not, until they see the impersonation." The 42-year-old, who regularly appears on TV and radio and has provided voices for the rebooted Spitting Image, will return to the Fringe this year with a new stand-up show, Defying Calamity, as well as four live performances of his Political Party podcast. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The latter will feature interviews with Scottish Secretary Ian Murray, former SNP MP Joanna Cherry KC, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and broadcaster Kirsty Wark. His stand-up, meanwhile, promises "a take on where we are at the moment, filled with impressions'. Donald Trump, Nigel Farage and Keir Starmer will all feature, as will First Minister John Swinney. "I start with the body language and then try and find hooks within the voice,' Forde explains. 'Obviously, with Swinney, he's got a very pleasant voice, very softly-spoken, nice voice to listen to, compared to Trump who is far more explosive and will range from a real rasp and yell to that very softly spoken whisper. There's more texture there. 'But you have to try and chuck as many of these people in, because you want to play all the instruments. You want that whole range of characters." The show will also touch on more personal matters. Forde was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer in August 2023, the day after the end of his Fringe run, and later underwent a 13-hour operation in which the base of his spine was removed. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It sounds traumatic, but he is astonishingly upbeat about it. "For comedy purposes, it's left my body with a number of issues, a lot of them sort of below the beltline, which make for just different types of dick jokes, I guess,' he says. 'Having erectile dysfunction and being incontinent and whatnot - they're good areas for comedy, I think, and they're areas that as far as I'm aware no other comedians are talking about, so it gives me free rein.' The experience changed his perspective on life. "It is quite handy a thing to have, when you're going to anything that you're stressed about, to think, 'This isn't as bad as when I'd just had the base of my spine removed in hospital and was in crippling pain for 10 weeks'." He adds: "It just puts any sort of crisis into perspective, makes me really value life, and I just feel so lucky." Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Keir Starmer, voiced by Matt Forde on Spitting Image | Avalon / BritBox / Mark Harrison When it comes to impressions, Forde says Trump is 'just so much fun to do, because he's so big and silly'. But his favourite British politician to impersonate is Anderson, Reform's chief whip. "His sense of humour is very dry, and he's from the same part of the world as me, Nottinghamshire,' he says. "I think a lot of people don't realise when he's joking. I do, because I grew up going to pubs with people like Lee. I go to football matches where people like Lee are there, and he's got a very dry, Nottinghamshire sense of humour, that I think isn't always cottoned on to. "I enjoy doing him, because his accent is so specific that I think a lot of people can't quite place it. In a way, maybe there's an element of just local pride, that someone from Nottingham is operating at a national level." Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Forde, who previously worked for Labour, says he understands the disillusionment voters feel with the mainstream parties. People are skint and "p***ed off", he says. "Politics is about life and about people's lives, and it's been rubbish. You look around at the country, there's potholes everywhere, the rivers are full of s***, public services are nowhere near where they should be. "We could all be better off, better educated, having better lives, and because of political choices, we're not. And that drives people mad." He adds: "I totally understand why people are angry. I'm actually amazed people aren't more livid at the state of things." Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However, Forde rejects the idea that there are less 'characters' in public life nowadays, with proper life experience. "The idea that Angela Rayner is an automaton - she is a colourful character with incredible life experience,' he says. "Keir Starmer is a different character, but he's led a fascinating life, so has Bridget Phillipson and Peter Kyle and Pat McFadden and Wes Streeting. There is a really diverse range of talent." He adds: "We periodically go through these phases where people say, 'Oh, there's no characters around'. Well, look at parliament now. You've got Farage, Anderson, Rayner. You've got different types of characters in there, no question. You've got Lindsay Hoyle as Speaker of the House of Commons. 'There are big characters in there, it's just there's a whole load of other new characters that we just haven't become familiar with yet." Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
The Herald Scotland
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Matt Forde: Joanna Cherry 'best SNP leader they never had'
His comments come ahead of a host of political interviews and shows he will be taking to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe next month. Political comedian Matt Forde (Image: David Monteith-Hodge) They include his podcast the Political Party, where the former SNP MP will be one of his guests. Earlier this year, Ms Cherry, a KC and critic of gender self-ID, demanded an apology from former first minister Nicola Sturgeon after the Supreme Court ruled that sex in the Equality Act refers to biological sex. The SNP politician also called on John Swinney to respect the judgment and women's rights to single-sex spaces. READ MORE: Asked if they will discuss the current SNP leadership during the show, Mr Forde told The Herald's Unspun Live podcast: 'Oh, absolutely. Especially as, for a lot of people, she is the sort of best leader they never had.' He added: 'There's a whole load of people in the Yes Movement who would love to see Joanna Cherry as the leader of it and who she probably more closely aligns with. 'Her assessment of the current SNP government and how it's doing and what its prospects are is absolutely high on the list [of questions to ask]. 'Obviously, we know how she feels about Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney, so I will definitely be asking her about that.' Former SNP MP Joanna Cherry on the campaign trail with First Minister John Swinney (Image: Jane Barlow/ PA Wire) Ms Cherry was defeated in the battle for Edinburgh South West in last year's general election by Labour's Scott Arthur, a former councillor and convener of the City of Edinburgh Council's transport committee. She was one of 38 SNP MPs to lose their seat. She recently criticised Mr Swinney for having no appetite for understanding why the SNP suffered such a huge defeat. 'Joanna is in a particular place with her relationship with the SNP at the moment which makes her fascinating,' Mr Forde told the podcast. 'She's also one of the most compelling guests I've ever interviewed.' The comedian described Ms Cherry as 'talented, sharp and on the different side of a number of the debates to friends in the SNP.' Asked if a party rebel like Ms Cherry makes for a better guest than someone toeing the party line, he said: 'When you've got someone who is a bit more rebellious or on a different side of a particular debate within a movement, I just think it's so much more interesting because it's really refreshing for the public to hear different voices from within the political parties and movements, particularly on issues like the ones Joanna has effectively been a rebel on.' The comedian said he was keen to distinguish between two types of outspoken people in politics: those for whom rebellion is 'part of their DNA' and those who are forced to be. For him, Ms Cherry is the latter. 'There are different types of rebellion,' he explained. 'There are people who are rebels by design. Someone like Jeremy Corbyn is always going to rebel. That's just who he is—it's part of his DNA. 'I don't necessarily think that is what Joanna is. I think she is someone who has probably been—and I can't speak for her—but my assessment is that she is someone who is in tune with public opinion on a whole range of social issues and has found it really difficult to be part of a party and a movement that has gone down a particular route. 'Had things been different I think she wouldn't have been a rebel. That is fairly obvious, but she is mainstream really—she's not a fringe politician whose rebellion is part of who she is. I think she has been driven to it.' Ian Murray, Secretary of State for Scotland, will also appear alongside Mr Forde. He said he hopes to tease out the personal side of the UK minister onstage. 'He's a really good laugh,' the comedian said. 'So I think I'll sort of coax him out a bit.' Ian Murray Secretary of State for Scotland arrives in Downing Street, London, for a Cabinet meeting in June this year. (Image: Gareth Fuller/ PA Wire) The comedian and self-proclaimed 'political obsessive' said it is a difficult time for the Scottish Labour MP. He explained Mr Murray currently has 'his foot in both camps' in trying to win over both Scottish and UK Labour: 'The change in his fortunes from being the only Labour MP in Scotland to all of a sudden being Secretary of State for it. 'He, more than any other member of that Cabinet, is tied to Scottish Labour in a way that none of the others are.' He added: '[I want to] get a sense of how he has found that first year of trying to manage what Labour needs to do to win in Scotland without, effectively, trashing what Labour are doing at a UK level.' Known for voicing Donald Trump, Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer on the satirical TV show Spitting Image, the comedian has also been brushing up his impersonations of Scottish politicians, namely Anas Sarwar and John Swinney, before he heads to the Fringe. 'I would say my Swinney is basically fine. I would say my Anas is better,' he said. Matt Forde with Spitting Image puppet Boris Johnson (Image: contributed) On impersonating Mr Swinney, he said: 'Obviously John's a lot more softly spoken. In fact, Jim Murphy was a wee bit like that. A lovely, whispery way like that.' Having a go at the Scottish Labour leader's accent, Mr Forde said: 'I would say my Anas is a kind of cartoony, squeaky mix of that beautiful accent that he has got which is a mix of the Scottish Pakistani accents. 'I am dialling up the squeakiness of him but sometimes you have to caricature it a bit to get the vibe.' The comedian, said he may resort to fan favourites, such as his Gordon Brown impersonation, to win over the Scottish audiences. Mr Forde will also bring Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, and Scottish political broadcaster Kirsty Wark on to the stage. He is keen to chat to Mr Khan about devolution and mayoral systems and discuss media coverage of Scottish politics with Ms Wark. The Fringe is a particularly emotive place for Mr Forde, as he discovered he had cancer while performing at the festival a few years ago. In his stand-up show, Defying Calamity, he will open up about this experience and how important it is to remain positive despite the current political climate and what life throws at you. Mr Forde, who is now cancer-free, said: 'Even though I am frustrated at the state of politics and the state of the world, I still feel really good about life. 'I realise that's from a position of relative privilege. I realise I'm not living on the eastern border of Ukraine or in Gaza. 'When you are forced to really conclude that though, I feel so lucky that I had that experience.' Matt Forde impersonating Donald Trump on his show Unspun (Image: contributed) He also said he would share 'funny ailments' with the audience such as having a stoma, being incontinent and having erectile dysfunction. 'Surely all these are classic subjects for comedy alongside the political stuff?' he joked. Mr Forde added: 'Life is about more than politics and you have to liberate yourself from it a bit.' The comic said he was looking forward to coming back to the capital in August. 'It's just always the most exciting time of the year,' he said. 'I love Edinburgh as a city, I love the festival. I love being a part of it. I just think it's the most magical place.' You can listen to the full interview with Matt Forde on The Herald's Unspun Live podcast on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Matt Forde returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with his new stand-up show Defying Calamity, running at the Pleasance Beyond from July 30 to August 24 at 8pm. He will also host four Political Party specials: Ian Murray (August 7), Joanna Cherry (August 13), Kirsty Wark (August 21) at the Gilded Balloon, all at 2.45pm; and Sadiq Khan (August 24) at McEwan Hall at 5.30pm. Tickets available at
Scotsman
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Matt Forde announces Sadiq Khan, Kirsty Wark, Ian Murray and Joanna Cherry for his Fringe political party specials
It was announced today, 8th July, that leading political comedian and satirist Matt Forde (Spitting Image, HIGNFY, British Scandal) is set to interview Sadiq Khan, Kirsty Wark, Ian Murray and Joanna Cherry, over four live Edinburgh Festival Fringe Political Party podcast specials. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... On 7th August, Ian Murray, the Secretary of State for Scotland, will join Matt to discuss Labour's first year in government and its fortunes in Scotland ahead of the 2026 Holyrood elections. On 13th August, Joanna Cherry KC returns to the podcast for a candid conversation about her relationship with her own party, the SNP's position on women's rights following the Supreme Court ruling and what her future ambitions are. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad On 15th August, Sadiq Khan speaks to Matt following his historic re-election last year for a third term as Mayor of London. For most of his time as Mayor, he had to deal with a Conservative government. Now that Labour are in charge, how has that impacted what he can do? What can Labour nationally learn from his success in London? What's his assessment of how Labour is doing? Matt Forde returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with new stand-up show Defying Gravity at the Pleasance Beyond from 30th July - 24th August at 8pm, and 4 Edinburgh Fringe Political Party Specials at the Gilded Balloon on 7th (Ian Murray), 13th (Joanna Cherry), 21st August (Kirsty Wark) at 2.45pm and Sadiq Khan at McEwan Hall at 5.30pm. Tickets at On 21st August, broadcasting icon Kirsty Wark - recently honoured with the prestigious BAFTA Fellowship for her outstanding 40-year career in television - joins Matt for a wide-ranging conversation. Together, they will reflect on her decades presenting Newsnight, the changing political journalism landscape, the challenges posed by misinformation and social media, debates about press freedom, and the key stories and politicians that have defined her career. Fresh from delivering the best-reviewed show of last year's Fringe - topping 1,638 others per the British Comedy Guide - and completing his biggest tour to date, Matt will also return to the festival with his new stand-up show Defying Calamity. Running from 30th July to 24th August at 8pm at Pleasance Beyond, Matt searches for positivity in life despite the rising tide of populism in the UK, the actions of Donald Trump, and his own ongoing health battles. Political Party and Defying Calamity tickets are available to buy now at Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Since launching in 2013, Matt's Political Party podcast has brought Parliament to life through stand-up and lively debate with some of politics' most powerful figures, including Keir Starmer, Nicola Sturgeon, Tony Blair, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Angela Rayner, Michael Heseltine, Anthony Scaramucci, Alastair Campbell, Gordon Brown and Gary Neville. Following an 18-month hiatus due to his bone cancer diagnosis, Matt has resumed his four-time extended West End residency, with Michael Gove set to appear as his next guest on 14th July. The podcast has amassed over 11 million downloads, earned multiple nominations from award bodies including the British Podcast Awards and Chortle Awards, and is regularly featured as a top podcast pick in the press. The news arrives shortly after it was announced that Spitting Image will return to screens this autumn with a brand-new YouTube series, Spitting Image: The Rest Is Bulls*!t, with an initial one-off teaser episode released last week and available to view on the official Spitting Image YouTube channel. The new series is led creatively by two of the writers of the critically acclaimed stage show Idiots Assemble: Spitting Image The Musical, Al Murray and Matt Forde. The live show was praised by the Evening Standard for being 'shockingly funny… I wasn't expecting this to be so outrageously entertaining', in a five-star review from the Daily Telegraph the show was applauded for being 'a barrel-load of offence-giving fun and a salty dash of rebellion' with The Mail on Sunday celebrating the writer's 'healthy disrespect for the Establishment'. The BAFTA and Emmy award-winning satirical Spitting Image television series originally ran for 18 series between 1984 and 1996 and was watched by over 15 million viewers. In 2020 it made a return to TV to (since disbanded UK streaming service) BritBox, with Matt writing and voicing characters, including portrayals of Boris Johnson, Keir Starmer, and Donald Trump, achieving critical praise across the political divide. On official social media channels, Spitting Image content was massively popular with over 200 million views globally and three number 1 trending videos on YouTube. Three new one-off specials for ITV (alongside BritBox) also saw huge success on terrestrial television: with a 4.4 million audience in 2020 achieving ITV's highest Saturday night ratings at that time in four years. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad After enduring what he thought was sciatica during the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Matt was diagnosed with cancer. A few weeks later he was having the base of his spine removed and has since relearned to walk. Despite these challenges, he returned to work - picking up where he left off with The Political Party, as well as his other acclaimed podcasts British Scandal and Down The Dog, and continuing to host Rock 'n' Roll Football on Absolute Radio. Elsewhere in the world of audio, Matt most recently completed his six-part political comedy series on BBC Radio 4, The Matt Forde Focus Group, featuring Forde in conversation with politicians, comedians and subject experts, discussing current issues and the ideas behind them. Matt hosted four series of Unspun with Matt Forde on Dave, receiving several nominations at the Broadcast Digital Awards, and has numerous other broadcast credits including: Have I Got News For You (BBC One), The Royal Variety Performance (ITV), Mock The Week (BBC Two), 8 out of 10 Cats (Channel 4), Hypothetical (Dave) Rory Bremner's Coalition Report and Rory Bremner's Election Report (BBC Two), Question Time (BBC One), This Week (BBC One), Newsnight (BBC Two) and Daily Politics (BBC Two).
