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Eddie Izzard launches bid to become Labour MP in Brighton

Comedian will seek election as Labour candidate for Brighton Pavilion

Eleanor Noyce
Friday 04 August 2023 11:49 EDT
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Comedian Eddie Izzard launches campaign to become Labour MP

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Comedian Eddie Izzard has launched a bid to become a Labour MP in Brighton at the next general election.

The 61-year-old announced she was joining the race to become the Brighton Pavillion candidate, saying she wants to help the city continue to be at the ā€œforefront of changeā€.

Caroline Lucas, the UKā€™s only Green Party MP, has held the seat since 2010, but announced in June she would be standing down at the next election.

It comes after Ms Izzard tried unsuccessfully to become Labour's candidate in Sheffield Central last year.

Making the announcement via her website, Ms Izzard said she was standing to ā€œsupport this brilliant city and its diverse and vibrant community.ā€

She said: ā€œBrighton is a city at the forefront of change and I want to help it to continue to make that change.

ā€œWhilst the Tories stoke fear and encourage culture wars, Brighton has shown the country another way; Open-minded and welcoming to all, with a thriving arts, creative and cultural scene. Imaginative, energetic and full of entrepreneurial spirit.

ā€œFor 13 years the Tories have tried to drag us down. Police numbers, cut. Fewer dentists, doctors and nurses. A rail network grinding to a halt, and sewage dumping into the sea. Hiking the cost of everything and holding Brighton back. And we all saw what happened under the Green Council ā€” house building stalled whilst rubbish piled high in the streets.ā€

Eddie Izzard arriving for the London premiere of Moonage Daydream at the BFI Imax Waterloo in London, September 2022
Eddie Izzard arriving for the London premiere of Moonage Daydream at the BFI Imax Waterloo in London, September 2022 (PA)

Ms Izzard pledged to take ā€œpractical actionā€ rather than ā€œprotestā€ to ā€œfix whatā€™s brokenā€, committing to fight for a ā€œfairer-greener-cleaner planet.ā€

ā€œReaching out and lifting people up, is at the heart of my politics. I believe in making connections ā€“ not breaking connections. So please join me ā€” get in touch, get involved and letā€™s make Brighton Pavillion Labour againā€, she added.

At the last general election in 2019, Ms Lucas achieved a 57.2 per cent vote share, equating to 33,151. Meanwhile, Labour candidate Adam Imampour received 22.8 per cent, representing 13,211 votes respectively.

Following Ms Lucasā€™ announcement that she would be standing down at the next election, the Green Party selected former co-leader Sian Berry to stand after she won 71 per cent of first preference votes.

Ms Berry was co-leader of the party alongside Jonathan Bartley between 2018 and 2021, labelling her task to seek re-election in Brighton Pavilion an ā€œenormous responsibility.ā€

ā€œBrighton Pavilion needs a Green MP in Parliament representing all the people across this wonderful constituency, and I can promise every voter in Brighton Pavilion that I will work every moment between now and the general election to win their trust and supportā€, she said after her candidacy was announced last month.

Elsewhere, the Liberal Democrats said that it would begin the selection process for its candidate in September, whilst the Conservative Party has yet to announce any details of its selection process for the seat.

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