Hollywood actor, Martin Freeman is the first celebrity to endorse a political party as the election campaign begun today.
Freeman, who starred as Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit trilogy, appears in a party-political broadcast to be aired over the period of the campaign. In it, the actor says: ‘I love this country so much and I love the people in it, and I think you do too, but really, for me, there’s only one choice; and I choose Labour.’
The video also includes a voice-over from former Doctor Who and Broadchurch star David Tenant. Watch the party-political broadcast below:
Following the video’s release on YouTube, there was criticism of Freeman because of allegations he helped his partner avoid tax in 2013. Labour leader, Ed Miliband, has been highly critical of tax-avoidance schemes. Here’s how some twitter users reacted:
Hey @Ed_Miliband will you stop dodgy millionaires avoid tax? Like that Martin freeman? http://t.co/npjNiGEMXH
— DCM (@CapaMidw) March 30, 2015
Guys Martin Freeman is doing adverts for The Labour Party because he is a perfect human being: https://t.co/HS9Oaywuc6 Good on him. — michelle buchman (@michelledeidre) March 30, 2015
Labour gets the backing of a troll killing Hobbit! Hell yeah! #martinfreeman
— Steve Brookstein (@stevebrookstein) March 30, 2015
No mention of Ed Miliband in Labour’s election video, I guess Labour are playing to their strengths #Labour #martinfreeman — Jonathan Blades (@JonathanRBlades) March 30, 2015
[…] first celebrity endorsements are in: Labour has bagged both John Watson and Doctor Who. Martin Freeman appears in a minute-long party political broadcast, with David Tennant providing a […]