Joanna Lumley is urging voters to shun mainstream politicians and instead back the Greens in next week's Euro elections.
Fresh from her triumph in securing immigration rights for Gurkha veterans, the actress has thrown her support behind the party for the 4 June poll. Party insiders believe Lumley's popularity will provide a huge boost to their campaign for the European Parliament.
Lumley, who so far has not shown interest in being a politician herself, said the public should make a “positive vote” for the party and has given her personal backing to Green Party leader and South-East MEP Caroline Lucas.
The actress and campaigner said: “Caroline Lucas is a tireless campaigner in the European Parliament, staunchly defending human rights and strongly promoting greater protection for animals.”
Both women have campaigned against human rights abuses in Burma and Lumley said the Green Party was “the obvious choice for real change”. “I urge you to cast a positive vote for a better future by voting Green in the European elections,” the actress said. Ms Lucas said: “I feel honoured to have her support.”
Reader views (39)
Re: Mark Erickson - You will also find that British soldiers who died in France and Belgium do have settlement rights - many of them are buried there.
You could move to France tomorrow if you wanted (now there's a suggestion!) purely on the basis of being in the European Community. If you think that's a stronger justification for residency than risking your life for a country then I want one of whatever you've been drinking.
- Michael Hunt, London, UK
Re: Mark Erickson - The 'mercenaries' that you are talking about fought on the British side in both World Wars. If it wasn't for forces like the Ghurkas you could very well be living in a Nazi state, which sounds like it would suit you just fine.
- Michael Hunt, London, UK
Lumley should stick to advertising for "posh" companies, and stay out of politics. The idea that voting Green, with its ridiculous open border immigration policy, has to be one of the most stupidily thought out agendas in British politics. Why should we fight to protect native flora and fauna, if we cannot even protect the natural human populations of any given territory from non-native human colonisation, or maybe we don't count unless we have darker shade of skin tone?
As for her ghurkas 'victory', since when do mercenaries have the right to settle in a country that they fight for? Nearly a million British soldiers died fighting for France and Belgium in 1914-18 - did those states grant special settlement rights for them? No! Ghurkas have never fought for Britain, only British interests world-wide, and since when did military service become a prerequisite for national citizenship in the UK?
- Mark Erickson, Lancashire, England
I just can not believe the ignornt rubbish(with no back up) said by some who obviously have an agenda in that they stupidly fear the Green part will push their out of date candidates aside, as for Ken (been in the barrow t6oo long face down in the s T I guess, I have been in the Green Party for 20 years & have never heard anything like that. The Green party certainly has a social conscience but I find it very middle of the political spectrum. I have and know many enthusiastic Green Party members & in general they are more intelligent & better educated by school of life or University or other higher education than other party members. We certainly like to enjoy ourselves in fact at 1 time I thought we should be called the Party party as we had a good social calender in my area & still do. I look forward to some enjoyable celebrations after the counts on the 4th & 7th. the green party is most progressive for a better life in the 21st century. We are forward looking not boom & bust with short term gratification being our goal, not like most other parties. Vote green you should know it makes sense!! Good on you Joanna real thinking person(not part Gurka as some fool said but her father was a British officer in the Gurka regiments)
- Neil Armstrong, Crewe
These people who make negative comments about the Green Party just know very little about the modernGree Party, they are progressive & would creat many new jobs while also improving energy efficiency & moving to a much more sustainasble enegy policy, not exactly the dark ages more the "Future" if we wish to have a decent 1 without wrecking the planet, also the least corrupt politicians in a recent yougov. poll.
- Neil Armstrong, Crewe
i can't believe the lack of common scene most of you have. You remind of that oil guy George Bush. Why wouldn't you want free electricity powering your home? We don't need fossil fuels anymore, they are expensive and pollute the atmosphere.
- Anthony, Harrow England
Please Joannah not the Greens.We will end up in the dark ages and total European domination.
- George Bain, Carlisle Cumbria
VOTE GREEN ! Ha ha you got to be joking,the unemployed numbers would rocket!Cars would be unaffordable and food would double in price.
- Nelly Lee, HULL, Great britain
As a former member of the Green Party, I am sorry Ms Lumley has opted to back the Green Party. Whilst there are many good hearted people (still) within The Green Party -Caroline Lucas being a top example- the Green Party is too riven with internal strife to do any good.
I remember chatting with a Fleet Street journalist at my first Green Party Autumn conference. He said: "My God! I wondered where all the ranters and the trouble-makers had gone from the Liberal Party Conferences! They are here, now!"
I watched the people he pointed out to me. And, sure enough, they spent the entire weekend leaping up and down with spurious points of order and dotty motions. One had oushed to have Standing Orders suspended during a debate and then, after he had succeeeded, had the brass neck to try to raise a point of order during the subsequent debate!
- Thats News, Telford
Um, Ken, I suggest you go and lay down until you are a bit better. I vote Green because our Green Party councillors are good at what they do. And when you make such childish arguments which aren't even referenced, I am sorry to say that it you that looks like a dangerous idiot.
- Alan Enson, London, UK
Having been a Green Party councillor for over 10 years, and seen many more Green councillors elected in that period, I would point out to those that view us as "Nuts" and worse, that the voters are backing the Greens in increasing numbers because they trust us and like our policies.
It is particularly galling that some make outrageous comments associating us with Nazis and wanting to kill people. Such comments would be actionable if made against an individual. Greens abhor the far right which is why we are campaigning so hard at these elections to stop the racist BNP.
Can I suggest that those who spout such misleading nonsense about the Greens actually read our policies before firing off wild and plainly false claims.
Or maybe they are doing so deliberately for political motives as they are worried that their own party may be about to lose votes to the Greens on June 4th ?
- James, Witham England
Oh dear, After doing such a great deal of good for the Gurkha's, she goes and supports a bunch evil supremacists.
The fact is, the global leadership of the Green movement want to depopulate the planet by about 5 BILLION people, leaving a self-selected group of the international elite and a few million slaves to serve them. That is documented and confirmed in their own words.
Do not believe me though, do your own research, it is ridiculously easy to confirm.
When Hitler's insane policies lead to the death of 50 million people, he was rightly branded an evil monster.
When the leaders of the Green movement want to kill 5 BILLION people, they are given the Nobel Peace Prize!!!
DO not vote green, they are the enemies of all humanity.
- Ken Hall, Barrow in Furness, UK
The greenest device on the planet is a condom - it stops two polluters becoming more polluters!
The sooner political parties have the courage to debate the issue of overpopulation (this lot actually encourage it with handouts) then the sooner they will prove that they are serious about "saving" OUR planet.
All other notions are just fashionable populist window dressing.
- Darius Midwinter, London UK
sandra,if she had come out supporting the bnp,i dont think you would be saying the things you are.what a load of old tosh.its double standards all the way to the top in britain.
- James Stewart, uk
While I feel political advice via a TV guide is not ideal - one look at El Gordo and it seems infinately sensible
- Mr Pastry, Brisbane
The argument is this.. they are nuts.
A bunch of Far Left Socialist nuts, under the banner of environmentalism.
They make even the Archbishop of Cantebury look sane.
If you liked N Korea, if you thought E Germany was cool.. you'll love the Greens.
- Tt, London
Um, wouldn't banning political correctness be another form of political correctness?!
I'd be interested to hear what particular views would be outlawed too...
- John, London
There's no fool like an old fool.
- Frank, ex-England
Greens could not run a lawn mower. I agree with ben, we need a party that opposes political correctness.
- Brandon Thomas, SW7, London UK
we need a party which will ban political correctness
- Beljamine, uk
I have great respect and affection for Ms Lumley, who is intelligent and has dignity and grace - unlike the people who have made some of the nasty comments here. She has a right - in a FREE coountry - to make her preferences known without vicious and personal comments. And they too, the Greens, have a right to argue their case without just being branded nuts. Where is the reasoned argument there ?
- Sandra, london
Good on her! I rarely vote, but might just make the effort this time. The Greens certainly seem to be the only ones talking any sense. And their elected reps seem to be hard working and honest (unlike some!). They might just get my vote for the first time.
And Dave (no relation), why on earth do you say that? They seem more sensible than most to me.
- Jim Davies, Basildon, UK
Sorry Joanna, but you have just blown your hard won credibility by supporting these nutters.
- Vince, London, West London area
Green Party also has best policies for dealing with Economic crisis - Lib/Lab/Con all support the policies that got us in the mess.
Well done to Joannna Lumley!
- Nick, Lewisham
NO NO NO - They are NUTS!!!
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke
As if the country isn't in a bad enough state as it is!. Go back into oblivion Lumley you Looney Lefty redundent old actress!!!!!
- Mark A, Warrington England
Only a few days ago when David Cameron was welcoming her as a Tory candidate Ms Lumley was a National Treasure. Strange how your posters have changed their opinions so quickly, or is it Tory Central Office intervening?
- A Knight, Farnboro England
So human rights and animal protection should be our priorities? On the contrary this sorry mess highlights that the priority should be for our government to do what it is supposed to do and no more: protect us from crime and foreign threats - in exchange for a modest amount of tax and surrendered liberty. The less legislation the better. God save us from "conviction" politicians, professional or otherwise.
- Paul Smith, harpenden
From the sublime to the ridiculous.
- Rogan, Irving
The lady has a very inflated ego!!
- John Bush, London
Vote Green, don't have a car, don't use airplanes.
Grow your own vegetables, cornflakes,brew your own beer etc.
Follow these loony tunes, and watch unemployment reach five miilion or more!
- John Jones, Westminster
let's not forget that the whole Gurka thing was totally self serving in that her family are part Gurka. so her first political act wasn't for the greater good at all.
The Greens, way too wet for the current climate. we need a strong gov who know what they are doing.
- Barry, woking, GB
I asked a local Green candidate about the impact of mass immigration on the environment. Despite the fact that I offered reasonable thoughts on the need for more housing, infrastructure, water supply etc. to accommodate the influx she simply called me a racist, told me everyone is welcome here and told me to go and vote for the BNP. I was astounded. No policies, no answers, just abuse.
Why are they so scared to talk about one of the biggest threats to the environment in the UK?
- D Staunton, London, United Kingdom
It really annoys me that the media and I guess many people think that the views of celebs are any better than anyone else. Actors, for instance, would be nobodies unless writers had provided them with something to say. I think that in real life many of them are very shallow and I would not like to see parliament full of them.
- William, London
I hope you're not going to spend the next couple of weeks telling us who every celeb in the country is going to vote for.
- Maggie, Wapping, UK
Well it is nice to see a celebrity who sees through the shallowness of David Cameron. Perhaps Jim Davidson will stand as a Tory candidate.
- F Frinton, Hampton England
Esther Rantzen? Terry Waite? And now Joanna Lumley?
Maybe having Jeremy Clarkson for PM is not so far-fetched...
- Nobby Clark, Perth, Scotland
Comedian Andy Parsons once remarked that, if Britain were to become a republic, then Joanna Lumley would be an obvious choice as a non-executive president. I think that his suggestion should be taken seriously.
- John, Biggleswade
Ha, ha, ha! Yeah yeah, you've done your bit for the Gurkhas Lumley, now of you go dear.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
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