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Russell Brand on General Election: 'I've only got one vote'

The comedian-turned-activist launched into a monologue when asked which party he was going to support

Helen Nianias
Thursday 23 April 2015 15:07 BST
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Russell Brand will not be voting in the General Election, despite having called the Green Party "fantastic".

The comic-turned-revolutionary was speaking at the Rio Cinema, in east London.

When asked my an audience member whether he supported the "strong, progressive" Green Party, Brand replied: "No".

The talk was in part to publicise his Brand's film the The Emperor's New Clothes, which has been praised for being a lucid look alternative to mainstream politics.

In a video uploaded by Total Politics, Brand said: "I believe in absolute truth. I believe in reality. That's what I believe in, absolute truth. Do you know what I believe?... I believe that we each have our own individual connection with a higher thing.

"What people are neglecting is I'm not a political man, I'm a spiritual man. For me, the administration, the things that occur, it's cool, it's secondary.


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...

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"Follow your calling. I will not stand in your way, I will not decry or denounce you. But I believe we are worth something valuable. I believe that human beings haven't finished evolving - that we can create something wonderful. And it will not come out of that decaying, mock-Victorian edifice and that we, among us, are on the precipice of creating something glorious. Don't set your horizon so low. Don't respond to fear, respond to optimism.

"A lot of people seem to be saying to me: 'I want you to do this.' I've only got one vote, same as everyone else.'"

When an audience member asked if he was going to use it, Brand said: "No, I ain't registered."

So there you go.

Brand has spoken out repeatedly against the current democratic process, but did say he'd have made an exception to support Greek left-wing coalition Syriza at the polls.

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