April 30, 2008 12:00

Babyshambles man speaks out against BNP

Drew McConnell urges London residents to vote on May

Photo Gallery: Babyshambles
Photo: Emilie Bailey

Babyshambles bassist Drew McConnell has urged London residents to vote in the forthcoming London assembly elections (May 1) to prevent the British National Party from having a chance of getting a seat.

McConnell is playing with a new band featuring Reverend And The Makers' Jon McClure and ex-Arctic Monkeys' Andy Nicholson on Sunday (April 27) at the Love Music Hate Racism carnival in London's Victoria Park.

Speaking to NME.COM, McConnell said, "Assembly elections happen on May 1. The London assembly elections happen every four years, and last time the BNP were just 5,000 votes off getting a seat. That might sound like a lot, but 5,000 votes is actually just 0.1 per cent!

"The polls are predicting the BNP to win two seats this year, which would be disastrous. As I understand it each elected member is given an office, £400,000 a year funding and, most terrifyingly in the case of the BNP, legitimacy and a platform from which to spout their vile hatred right into the heart of our nation's capital.

"Hopefully the LMHR carnival will go some way to stopping this happen. We know we're only musicians, and we can't change the world armed only with guitars and bad haircuts. But there's nothing wrong with having a go, eh?

"If 100,000 people turn up to our event, they might just go and vote on May 1 too. We won't get fooled again!"