Steve Coogan backing old pal Tom Watson
It was a case of ‘knowing me, knowing you’ as Tom Watson welcomed an old friend to the Black Country to boost his election campaign.
Steve Coogan stopped off at Labour’s regional headquarters in Sandwell to give his backing to Mr Watson’s campaign for West Bromwich East.
The Alan Partridge star and writer backed Mr Watson’s bid for deputy leader in 2015 and the pair previously joined forces on a Save our NHS tour in the day’s before that year’s General Election.
They initially became friends during their time campaigning against press intrusion in the phone hacking scandal.
Speaking outside Terry Duffy House in West Bromwich, Mr Coogan said: “Tom Watson has been a strong voice in Parliament for West Bromwich East for 16 years and I’m proud to call him a friend.
“He’s a tireless campaigner who gets things done locally and he has the guts to speak truth to power.
“Tom took a stand against bullies in the tabloid press when it would have been easier not to act and he listened to survivors of abuse at a time when their voices weren’t being heard.
“Our country needs straight-talking Labour MPs like Tom who are not afraid to speak out against injustice.”
Mr Watson is defending a majority of 9,470 in the June 8 poll.
Mr Coogan is the latest celebrity to hit the campaign trail for Labour.
Comedian Eddie Izzard, who has parliamentary ambitions of his own, visited Wolverhampton last month to campaign alongside Emma Reynolds, Pat McFadden and Eleanor Smith.
Meanwhile Wolverhampton-born Goldie has declared himself ‘a massive fan of Jeremy Corbyn’, while the Labour leader has also been endorsed by Danny DeVito, who tweeted: “UK...you’ve got the guy.”
Mr Coogan, whose daughter Clare Coogan Cole works for Mr Watson, has embarked on a tour of marginal seats in recent days, and has made appearances in Chester and Wrexham.
