Celebrities respond to May's People’s Vote claims by funding coaches to march

Sir Patrick Stewart, Delia Smith and Olly Alexander are all backing a People's Vote - Credit: Archant

Delia Smith, Sir Patrick Stewart and Olly Alexander are among the names to fund free travel from their home towns to the People’s Vote March in London.

They join a list of more than two dozen celebrity backers that includes actors, musicians, broadcasters, business people, comedians, sports stars, writers and politicians.

They have all each agreed to pay more than £1,000 for a coach taking supporters to London on October 20 for what organisers are calling ‘the biggest Brexit protest yet,’

The news comes days after Theresa May dismissed the People’s Vote campaign as a ‘politicians’ vote’.

The New European’s Alastair Campbell said that ‘not for the first time she is totally misreading the mood of the country’.

‘This is a movement of people of all backgrounds and all regions who see Brexit going wrong and want a say on the outcome of the negotiations, whether there is a deal or not. And the fact she felt the need to mention it at all shows how far we have come in so short a time.’

Delia Smith, the television cook, is sponsoring the ‘East Anglia Express’ from Norwich to show her full support for the campaign.

Years and Years singer and songwriter, Olly Alexander, will be sponsoring a coach from the Forest of Dean, while Sir Patrick Stewart, the Star Trek and X-Men acting legend, is sponsoring a coach leaving his home town of Huddersfield.

Explaining why she’s supporting the march Delia Smith said: ‘I am petrified at the way Brexit is going. I’m afraid the political leaders have made a dog’s dinner of it and none of us really trust them anymore to take final decision – whatever the result the of negotiations. That’s why, on October 20, I want to make sure East Anglian voices are heard calling for a People’s Vote in the streets around Westminster.’

Olly Alexander said: ‘I urge young people to turn out in force for the march. This is our future we are talking about, and we have to be able to have a say. The will of the people can change, and I believe it has as we have watched the mess unfold.’

To sign up for your place on the march and to find out how to register for free coach travel visit the People’s Vote website.

The full list of backers so far includes:

Delia Smith, TV chef and majority shareholder, Norwich City FC – Norwich

Alan Pardew, former footballer, manager – Chichester

Trevor Beattie, advertising executive, film producer – Birmingham

Sir Patrick Stewart, actor – Huddersfield

Alastair Campbell, political strategist and The New European editor – Burnley / E Lancs

Peter Mandelson, High Steward of Hull and former Cabinet minister – Hull

Dan Snow, broadcaster and historian – Southampton

Steve Coogan, comedian, actor and writer – Manchester

David Miliband, charity head and former Foreign Secretary – South Shields

Jamie Carragher, former England and Liverpool footballer, Sky Sports broadcaster – Liverpool