Alan Partridge vs Malcolm Tucker: The Great Big Brexit Grudge Match

Our Armando Iannucci guest edited Big Issue broke the internet, broke sales and nearly broke Alan Partridge! It’s no longer on sale from vendors, but you can read the full Alan Partridge vs Malcolm Tucker Brexit debate in all its sweary glory below – or buy the magazine from The Big Issue Shop!

Politics and the media come together to settle the Brexit debate once and for all. Representing politics, Malcolm Tucker, former communications director at No. 10 Downing Street, and now on the board of negotiations and conflict-resolution company Off The Table. Representing the media is local, national and international (online) broadcaster Alan Partridge. The following is their full debate via email…

[Recovered email]
From: Alan Partridge
To: Malcolm Tucker
Subject: RE: Brexit

Hadrian.

Is this helping at all? I lost my way a couple of times (making up words, forgetting it was about the EU etc) but I think I bought it back round in the end. And if it’s made you feel even 1% less crabby, great.

Shall I do you now? I’ll do, say, two? Then we can make closing arguments, meet somewhere in the middle, thank each other, say our bye-byes and I can jump in the car and go to squash. Sound good?

Your word is ‘bulldog’.

The return of the nation’s favourite, sweariest, scariest spin-doctor, locking horns with Radio Norwich’s finest over Brexit, set the news agenda in the week the magazine came out. From The One Show to BBC2’s Daily Politics, to any number of radio talk shows, newspapers and august titles like the Radio Times and NME covered the story.

Armando Iannucci discussing his Big Issue take over on the One Show

Armando’s editorial turn also caused raptures on social media. Our cover and extracts of #TuckervPartridge were shared tens of thousands of times, bringing a host of new readers to The Big Issue (you’ve very welcome!) and attracting some very nice words from some other very funny people.

GET THE NEW @BigIssue! It’s so amazing. Thank you @Aiannucci @neilgibbons @RobGibbons_ @IanMartin @willsmithwriter https://t.co/ng8sOT1ch7

— rob delaney (@robdelaney) October 17, 2017

The @BigIssue is always a great read-this week it's extra special. Make sure you buy one. Bravo @Aiannucci and co pic.twitter.com/ur9uAZfPKe

— Dave Berry (@daveberry_tweet) October 18, 2017

https://twitter.com/MarinaHyde/status/920922641279614981

Alan Partridge/Malcolm Tucker Brexit debate in The Big Issue is not unsurprisingly proper lols

— ed simons (@eddychemical) October 19, 2017

Good morning. I’m Guest Editor of The Big Issue this week. Tucker v Partridge on Brexit and loads more fun. Do buy! https://t.co/8XK50bbKj7

— Armando Iannucci (@Aiannucci) October 16, 2017