I’m on Dan Wootton’s list of the ‘50 worst people in the UK’… what a compliment!

Intended as an insult, this rundown of 'remoaners', public servants and outspoken commentators reads like a rollcall of those who, unlike GB News, have Britain's best interests at heart, says Femi Oluwole

Former GB News presenter Dan Wootton has published a personal list of the top 50 “worst people in the UK” (Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

Former GB News presenter Dan Wootton has just published a list of the top 50 “worst people in the UK”, and it’s had me smiling from ear to ear – not just because I’m on it, but because it is unintentionally hilarious. It reads like a Scooby Doo villain ranting about how he would have gotten away with it, if not for us meddling kids…

I’m at no.31 on his list, and billed as a “Brexit-hating virgin”. While I probably wouldn’t want that on my tombstone, at least I’m in good company. It seems to me if politicians had listened to these “worst people” singled out by Wootton, families would at least be coping a little better with the cost of living crisis.

For example, he attacks the likes of James O’Brien (no.1) and Gary Lineker (no.2) for opposing Brexit – except, from what I’ve seen, most Brits (and economists) believe Brexit has made us poorer.

He attacks Mick Lynch (no.36) for encouraging people to strike for better pay. But again, as far as I can tell, the public has had some sympathy with the strikes, because we’re all struggling. The UK is one of the most financially unequal countries in the Western world, so seemingly attacking working-class people for demanding fair pay is not a good look. Especially for those who’ve always claimed to be the champions of the people.

He complained that Labour MP Chris Bryant (no.35) called him a “dangerous nutcase” for opposing pandemic lockdowns. But was Bryant wrong? Wootton pushed against lockdowns by arguing that they were to blame for the long NHS waiting lists. Arguing that doctors would be able to treat patients faster if their hospitals were filled with Covid patients during an uncontrolled outbreak… that feels both dangerous and nutty. And, again, my understanding is that the public overwhelmingly thinks lockdowns saved lives. It seems to me all he’s doing is reminding people he would have let many more people die.

The constant accusation that his political opponents are “anti-British” (Adil Ray, no.11) or “Britain-bashing” (Emily Maitlis, no.15) is absurd. Surely the public can see that Wootton’s Boris-esque brand of politics cost us money and lives during a poverty and pandemic crisis. It has done more to hurt the British people than any foreign enemy in living memory.

On the other hand, you have the “remoaners” who opposed the poverty of Brexit; the people who pushed for sensible health protections during Covid; and everyone who stood with those who wanted to be paid fairly. It looks as though Wootton is reminding everyone that he doesn’t know what it means to be patriotic.

But, for me, the best thing about this list is the hypocrisy. Wootton has complained about there being too many “personal insults” in politics – but it was he who was fired from GB News after laughing with a guest who attacked a journalist by saying nobody would “sh*g” her.

He has repeatedly accused people like LBC boradcaster Sangita Myska (no.27) of “nasty personal attacks”, and her stablemate James O’Brien of “far too happily throwing around terms like ‘bigot’ and ‘racist’”. I find that hilarious given he called me a “virgin” who’s “unable to purchase a T-shirt that actually fits him”, and accused me, a black man, of not being a “real Brit”.

He referred to Sadiq Khan as the “Muslim mayor” who turned London into a “third-world hellhole”, while accusing him of “divisive identity politics” in the same sentence!

There is also a strong whiff of conspiracy theory in Wootton’s choice of language. The word “globalist” has become an antisemitic dog-whistle, implying some shadowy overlords. And Wootton accuses Rory Stewart and Alistair Campbell of interviewing “members of the globalist establishment”, and referred to Tony Blair as a “globalist” who, he fears, will be “pulling the strings” of Keir Starmer.

Wootton also engages in blatant transphobia, referring to a trans woman as “he”, which I’ve always found to be a weird strategy. Biology may be objective, but gendered pronouns are literally made up by society and differ between languages (e.g. la table/le chien). Again, incredible hypocrisy from the man condemning “divisive identity politics”.

The list is also dripping with sexism. He accuses a female political opponent of being a “groupie” of politicians, and refers to her as “rear of the year”. Remember, this is a guy who was fired because of his misogyny. He’s clearly been working on himself.

When media personalities get kicked off their platforms, they will show you who they really are, as they have nothing left to lose. But after eight years of Trumpian Brexit politics, we don’t even need these cartoon villains to take off their masks. We already see through them.