Russell Brand backs Ed Miliband: 'You gotta vote Labour'

He has thrown off his reputation as 'Mr Don't Vote' and urged people to head down to polling stations on Thursday

Russell Brand has declared the importance of voting, having spent a long time dismissing the democratic process in Britain.

Brand, who has become a loud voice for the left in recent months, uploaded a new video to his YouTube channel The Trews, which contained footage he has purposely held back of himself with Labour leader Ed Miliband.

The two then shook hands.

Brand, debriefing the viewers, said that Miliband's belief that we "need a kind of politics where communities are involved" was vital.

---

Are you undecided about who to vote for on 7 May? Are you confused about what the parties stand for and what they are offering? Take this interactive quiz to help you decide who to vote for...

Click here to launch

---

He continued: "One thing I agree very sincerely with Ed on, is that politics doesn't reign down on us - it comes from below. Movements putting pressure on governments."

Admitting that he couldn't be sure of the reality of what a Labour government would mean, Brand said: "We have just heard the leader of the Labour party say he welcomes and wants pressure from below."

"What I have learned... is that we are in a dangerous position in this country. The Conservative party are planning to further dismantle our community assets," he argues. "This is not something we can allow to happen simply because people can't be bothered or don't want to vote."

He laughs: "I know I'm known as Mr Don't Vote", and adds that "democracy is for every day, not just for elections."

"What I heard Ed Miliband say is if we speak, he will listen. So on that basis, I think we've got no choice but to take decisive action."

Concluding, he urged Brighton voters to keep Green Party MP Caroline Lucas in power, "but anywhere else, you gotta vote Labour."

He also told voters in SNP-dominated Scotland that they didn't need an English person telling them what to do, saying: "You know what you're going to be doing."

Adding that there are "loads" of problems he has with Miliband's party's policy - including Trident and the controversial anti-immigrant mugs - he argued that it would be just the start of the kind of change he wants to see.

Brand, who is not registered to vote in the 2015 election, may have just encouraged thousands of people to exercise their democratic right.