Entertainment Green Party Newsnight
Ex-Mumford & Sons banjo player and GB News nepo-baby Winston Marshall was on ‘Newsnight’ debating taxes and Brexit, and these savage responses nail just how unqualified he was for the gig
Mumford & Sons are one of the big success stories of British music over the last two decades.
But you perhaps might not be aware that a former band member is now a political podcaster and commentator. Well, if you caught BBC’s Newsnight on Friday night, you’ll be well aware of that fact now.
Former Mumford banjo player Winston Marshall – who is also the son of GB News co-owner Paul Marshall – was part of the panel, talking about party conference season, Andy Burnham, taxes and Brexit. He was on alongside The Times journalist Patrick Maguire and economist and Green Party supporter Faiza Shaheen.
"(Burnham) says he doesn’t want to be divisive and yet he brings up the most divisive issue of the last 10 years"
Ex-Mumford & Sons member turned podcaster Winston Marshall says Andy Burnham’s stance on Brexit won’t be popular with "Red Wall" voters.
#Newsnight https://t.co/r42KZtaebs
— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) October 16, 2026
Marshall left the band in 2021, following a backlash for publicly supporting controversial right wing commentator, Andy Ngo. Since then, he has expressed ever more right wing views – including proposing a floating wall of mines to stop migrants.
Marshall has become a YouTuber, where he explains: “Back in 2021, I left my band Mumford & Sons – better to speak freely, I decided, than self-censor. And since then, well, it’s been quite a ride…”
"If you want to lift up the poor, you have to create wealth."
"How’s that going?"
Podcaster and former Mumford & Sons member Winston Marshall discusses taxes with economist and Green Party supporter Faiza Shaheen.
#Newsnight https://t.co/yj8ZwgELKE
— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) October 16, 2026
Well, judging by the response to his appearance on Newsnight, it seems the ride is going to get even bumpier for Winston…
But perhaps the best response that really got to the heart of the matter was this from X user @malonebarry.
“Hello and welcome to Newsnight. Tonight, we’re joined by Faiza Shaheen, director of Tax Justice UK. Faiza is an economist and a Visiting Professor of Practice at the London School of Economics. Faiza’s previous roles include Program Head for the Inequality and Exclusion Grand Challenge of the Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies at the Center on International Cooperation at New York University, Director of the Centre for Labour and Social Studies, Head of Inequality and Sustainable Development at Save the Children, and Senior Researcher at the New Economics Foundation. Faiza holds a PhD and MSc from the University of Manchester and a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from St John’s College, Oxford University.
She is the author of a range of materials and publications covering the most salient social and economic debates of our times, including inequality, austerity, immigration, and social mobility. Faiza has over 15 years of experience researching the trends and consequences of inequality, as well as designing policies and campaigns to address the causes of inequality and exclusion. Her book, ‘Know your place: How society sets us up to fail and what we can do about it’ was published in July 2023 by Simon & Schuster.
To speak over her, we’ve invited Winston Marshall, a podcaster and former member of Mumford and Sons.
We hope you enjoy the programme.”
— Barry Malone (@malonebarry) October 16, 2026
He wrote:
“Hello and welcome to Newsnight. Tonight, we’re joined by Faiza Shaheen, director of Tax Justice UK. Faiza is an economist and a Visiting Professor of Practice at the London School of Economics. Faiza’s previous roles include Program Head for the Inequality and Exclusion Grand Challenge of the Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies at the Center on International Cooperation at New York University, Director of the Centre for Labour and Social Studies, Head of Inequality and Sustainable Development at Save the Children, and Senior Researcher at the New Economics Foundation. Faiza holds a PhD and MSc from the University of Manchester and a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from St John’s College, Oxford University.
She is the author of a range of materials and publications covering the most salient social and economic debates of our times, including inequality, austerity, immigration, and social mobility. Faiza has over 15 years of experience researching the trends and consequences of inequality, as well as designing policies and campaigns to address the causes of inequality and exclusion. Her book, ‘Know your place: How society sets us up to fail and what we can do about it’ was published in July 2023 by Simon & Schuster.
To speak over her, we’ve invited Winston Marshall, a podcaster and former member of Mumford and Sons.
We hope you enjoy the programme.”
Touché Barry. Devastating stuff.