LibDems and Labour Backed By Best Celebrities

The British election campaign is about halfway over, and there are signs of fatigue among voters and non-voters alike. To keep things interesting, the parties have trotted out their supporters from among the glitterati to keep people thinking about politics even while reading Hello or The New Musical Express. In looking over the announced support from the beautiful people, it's a toss up between the Liberal Democrats and Labour. And the Conservatives can't even beat the Scottish Nationalists in the celebrity sweepstakes. Fortunately, no one who's going to vote cares what these people think.

The Tories are pleased about the support of retired Rolling Stone Bill Wyman and former Spandau Ballet front-man Tony Hadley. Julian Fellowes, who played the Minister of Defense in "Tomorrow Never Dies" among other things, is also voting Conservative. Tim Rice, who let Andrew Lloyd-Webber use his words, and Frederick Forsyth, whose novels are available at finer airport gift shops, are also voting for Mr. Howard's team. And the big coup was getting Joan Collins to defect from the UK Independence Party. Much like Mr. Howard's Party, this is the B-List at best. Maybe Mick Jagger and David Bowie would have shored up the music wing of the party, but somehow they just don't seem Tory.

Meanwhile, Tony Blair's Labour Party will be getting the votes of Lord Richard Attenborough the film maker, comedian Eddie Izzard, Prunella Scales (Sybil Fawlty of "Fawlty Towers" fame) and Oasis lead singer Gallagher. The warbler told MTV he's voting Labour because if the Tories win, "Phil Collins is threatening to come back and live here [in the UK]. And let's face it, none of us want [sic] that." Well, that's reason enough not to vote Tory but not reason enough to vote Tony.

The Liberal Democrats have a more intellectual bunch. Brian Eno of Roxy Music, former BBC head Greg Dyke and film critic Barry Norman support Charles Kennedy. Throw in scientist Richard Dawkins of "Selfish Gene" fame, feminist Germaine Greer and Rabbi Julia Neuberger and one has a pretty brainy crew. And that leaves out Sir Richard Doll, the epidemiologist, or Travis singer Fran Healy.

The Scottish Nationalists have Sir Sean Connery in their corner. He's recorded a phone message that machines are playing to people whose dinner has been interrupted that says, "Hello there. This is Sean Connery. No, it's not a joke -- unfortunately, the real joke is the Labour Party." And the fact that Sir Sean has lived, for tax reasons, in the Caribbean for years. Still, his heart is in Scotland even if his money isn't.


© Copyright 2005 by The Kensington Review, J. Myhre, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent.
Produced using Fedora Linux.

Home