General election: Hugh Grant confronted by anti-racism protesters for backing Labour candidate
Written by News on 05/12/2019
Actor Hugh Grant has been confronted by anti-racism protesters as he campaigned for a Labour candidate.
The Love Actually star was bombarded with questions by a demonstrator who accused him of endorsing a “racist” political party.
The clash came after Grant gave an outdoor speech to crowds in Chingford and Woodford Green – the seat held by Tory Brexiteer Iain Duncan Smith.
Grant is backing a range of candidates from different parties to try and stop Conservative leader Boris Johnson from winning a majority, so visited the east London constituency to show support for Labour’s Faiza Shaheen.
“I’m not flitting about supporting one party one day, one party another out of weirdness or capriciousness – I’ve got a very firm message which is that I’m terrified,” Grant was filmed saying.
“I think the country faces an emergency. We’ve got seven days left before, in all likelihood if we listen to that very depressing YouGov poll, we’ll be ruled by Boris Johnson and a Tory majority and everything that goes with that.
“Including a hard Brexit – followed almost inevitably in one year’s time by a no-deal Brexit.
“With a no-deal Brexit we have hundreds of thousands if not millions unemployed, we have the end of manufacturing industry in this country, we have the end of peace in Northern Ireland.”
But as Grant got into a car to leave, a male protester holding a placard saying “Corbyn supported terrorists – unfit to be PM” repeatedly asked him why he was supporting a “racist” party.
Grant ignored the questions but his car was temporarily blocked by the man.
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A small group of other demonstrators also stood round waving banners critical of Labour.
The YouGov poll Grant is likely to have referred to was one released last week that showed the Conservatives are set to win 359 seats – giving Mr Johnson an overall majority of 68.
The other candidate standing in Chingford and Woodford Green is Geoff Seeff for the Liberal Democrats.
(c) Sky News 2019: General election: Hugh Grant confronted by anti-racism protesters for backing Labour candidate
