The comedian Eddie Izzard is campaigning to be selected as the Labour candidate for Brighton Pavilion at the next general election.
The comedian, 61, announced plans to join the race to stand for the party for election to the House of Commons today (Friday 4 August).
The seat has been held since 2010 by the only Green Party MP, Caroline Lucas, who is standing down at the next general election.
It is Izzard’s latest attempt to enter Westminster politics after an unsuccessful attempt to become Labour’s candidate for Sheffield Central last year.
In a video, Izzard said: “Brighton is a city at the forefront of change and I want to help it to continue to make that change.”
— Eddie Izzard for Brighton Pavilion (@EddieIzzardLab) August 4, 2023
Izzard grew up in Sussex and, “proud of my roots” in the area, added: “I’m just the latest in over 200 years of Izzards in East Sussex.
“While the Tories stoke fear and encourage culture wars, Brighton has shown the country another way.”
Brighton was, Izzard said, “open-minded and welcoming to all.”
In the Sheffield Central selection race, Izzard lost out to local councillor Abtisam Mohamed in a vote of local members.
The stand-up comedian, actor and activist has long campaigned for Labour, but wants to focus on being a constituency MP and performing only for charity.
Izard has in the past spoken about having a gender-fluid identity and asks to be referred to as she or her.
Labour’s selection process for Brighton Pavilion is not believed to have started and the process is not yet open for applications.
The next general election is widely expected to be held in autumn next year.
Whatever his pronouns or mutton dress sense, no one from Brighton should vote for a self confessed Crystal Palace supporter like Mrs Izzard.
Yuck, the SHAME of it.
“While the Tories stoke fear and encourage culture wars, Brighton has shown the country another way.”
Wait till he hears about what the local Labour councillors have been up to for the last few years..
Well, she is a comedian, or is it comedienne? So it is quite appropriate that she would like to become a Labour MP, the party of clowns.
….and Labour wonder why they’ve lost the working-class voters….
Are you not getting enough attention Eddie?
Why ? Because it’s Brighton we need to parachute some random in. Maybe it’s better we have a local support us?
Given that Eddie has both campaigned for Labour in Brighton and Hove many time over the years and has many family and personal connections across Sussex, the local connection is there.
If I still lived in Pavilion, I would likely support her, depending on who else was on the shortlist.
I hope that when the time comes, people will vote sensibly. I can’t see a comedian being taken seriously as an MP.
Don’t look into what the Ukrainian Prime Minister was before politics!! You’ll be horrified
Eddie Izzard may highlight some cultural aspects improve fitness precision marathon planning etc festival awareness etc
All politicians seemed to have messed up re covid etc
Jeremy corbin look what happened
Parachuting Eddie into Pavilion could be a huge mistake for Labour, he can be a devisive character in what will be a really tight election. Perhaps it would be better to have someone local who could really connect with the voters.