During the 1990s Hurst espoused left-wing politics: he refused to be interviewed by newspapers owned by Rupert Murdoch, was a critic of the Blair government, and in one interview, stated that he stopped attending a back support group which helped him with his ankylosing spondylitis after he found out that it was run as a charity, explaining that "I believe it should be provided by the State through taxation. I'd be very hypocritical if I used their facilities when I won't do medical charity benefits". However, according to comments made by Hurst on his official Twitter account in 2014, he is a supporter of the UK Independence Party.