Russell Brand: Why I backed Labour

Russell Brand’s endorsement of Labour, albeit a very qualified endorsement, was bound to raise the hackles of many of his associates and supporters. And so it has proved to be.

What Russell Brand has managed to do and it is something none of our politicians and political parties have been able to do, with the exception of Caroline Lucas, is to engage people in the political system. Not Westminster, which is increasingly seen as an outdated, 19th century irrelevance, but what is going on around them, what effects their daily lives.

We are affected by tax dodgers when it means library closures, welfare cuts, cuts to public services.

We are affected by austerity, when we see it is simply an excuse for Shock Doctrine, slash and burn of public services, transfer of money from the poor to the rich.

We are affected by the privatisation of the NHS, with deteriorating services, and transfer of money out of the NHS to offshore companies, offshore companies with links to David Cameron and his cronies.

We are affected by zero-hours, poverty wages, mind numbing, temporary, part time McJobs.

We are affected by Global Warming and Climate Chaos.

We are affected by pollution and deteriorating air quality.

We are affected by fracking and contaminated ground water.

We are affected by overpriced, poor quality public transport.

It is less than half an hour until the Polling Stations close. You could make a difference.

In Scotland vote SNP.

In Wales vote Plaid Cymru.

In Brighton vote Caroline Lucas, Green Party.

In Newham vote Tasmin Osmond, Green Party.

In Aldershot and Farnborough vote Carl Hewett, Green Party.

In Farnnham and Godalming vote  Dr Louise Irvine, National Health Action Party.

Yes, if we had been offered Syriza or Podemos, we would have had real choice, but that was not what was on offer. We had to make the best of a bad job.

This does not mean democracy ends today, until five years time, far from it, get active, participate, take direct action, set up social enterprises, open coops, contribute to the collaborate commons.

And tonight and the next few days, be alert for the coup d’état and be prepared to take to the streets.

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Tags: #GE2015, democracy, General Election 2015, Labour, Russell Brand: Why I backed Labour