Paul O’Grady’s rant against Tory austerity goes viral again

Paul O’Grady, the beloved TV presenter and comedian who broke on to the scene with his drag act persona Lily Savage, has died at the age of 67.

His husband, Andre Portasio, confirmed in a statement that O’Grady died “unexpectedly but peacefully” on Tuesday evening.

Actress Sally Lindsay paid an emotional tribute to her friend. She told Sky News: “He was the most wonderful man. He was like a whirlwind, force of nature.”

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She said he had a “funny, sharp wit” and was “a bit of a social warrior as well”.

“My Lord what a joy he was to have around… the world is a darker place today.”

Tory rant

At today’s PMQs Dominic Raab called him Larry Grayson!

Dominic Raab confused Paul O'Grady with Larry Grayson in the Commons today and then tried to attack "woke" ideology. This is the wonderful Paul O'Grady on Tory austerity politics. I'm with Paul! https://t.co/yKUHcN4pZR
— Neil Drysdale (@NeilDrysdale) March 29, 2023

But he was also political, as you will see here…

Paul O’Grady takes on the “Austerity Budget” live on TV in 2010…

“We should let them know that we are not taking these draconian cuts lightly”. pic.twitter.com/AQt4XcmOAG
— Tides of History (@labour_history) March 29, 2023

Reactions

13 years on and still so very very true
— Ste Trueman (@StephenTrueman) March 29, 2023

Paul O'Grady was one of life's good guys. From well publicised charity work and campaigning on animal rights to the flame of social justice that burned strongly inside him.

He never forgot his roots in our region – and our region will never forget him. He will be missed. RIP. https://t.co/zSoGlBhzke
— Steve Rotheram (@MetroMayorSteve) March 29, 2023

*serious voice*
Paul O'Grady always came across as having a fierce (and ultimately reciprocated) love for ordinary people despite living through periods when lots of ordinary people were dicks about people like him & that strikes me as a real moral achievement https://t.co/2BV2zUuhpl
— Rob Palk (@robpalkwriter) March 29, 2023

‘Vive La Birkenhead’

Paul knew the score. Rest in Power. https://t.co/7cAw7On3Ov
— Liam Thorp (@LiamThorpECHO) March 29, 2023

Legend. RIP.

Can you imagine the shit he'd get from the hordes of anonymous fingersniffers on Twitter if he did this now?

Also, not much has changed in 13 years… https://t.co/qxVVNCwdcx
— Andy Dawson (@profanityswan) March 29, 2023

🔥🔥🔥 every word of this. Still. Just superb https://t.co/ix1gBq2DOr
— Tom Jamieson (@jamiesont) March 29, 2023

I’m sad about Paul O’Grady. I hoped I might meet him one day to tell him what an inspiration he was to me: how I loved gloriously loose & effortless his shows were, how he proved you could be political in a light ent space and that you could do all this & be really, really funny.
— Joe Lycett (@joelycett) March 29, 2023