Express & Star

Ross Kemp adds muscle to Labour campaign

Former Eastenders hardman Ross Kemp urged people to 'get out and vote' as he as he brought a bit of muscle to Labour's General Election campaign.

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Ross Kemp campaigning at St Martin’s Church in Bilston with Labour candidate Pat McFadden

The 52-year-old, who played Grant Mitchell in the BBC soap and is an award winning journalist, was greeted by a crowd of more than 100 people when he visited St Martin's Church in Bilston to back Pat McFadden's bid for re-election in Wolverhampton South East.

WATCH: Ross Kemp and Pat McFadden speak in Wolverhampton

He signed autographs and posed for selfies with fans who packed the church hall to the rafters, before delivering a speech in which he called for voters to 'do their democratic duty' at the polling booth.

"On Thursday, you make a decision over the next five years and maybe longer than that, because whoever you elect to represent you in Parliament will be negotiating the Brexit deal on your behalf," he told the crowd.

Ross Kemp with Pat McFadden

"And that will have a financial impact on everybody, including me. We are going into completely uncharted territory in terms of our economic future as a country."

He added: "People fought for the right to vote. No one can moan about what happens after Thursday if you didn't get out and vote and you didn't push everyone you know to get out and vote."

Mr Kemp, whose father was a police officer in the Met for 30 years, also hit out at Tory police cuts, and said the Conservatives were 'arrogant' for slashing funding for schools 'in the poorest areas' of Britain.

Ross Kemp meeting supporters

He said he chose to visit Bilston on the campaign trail because he believed Mr McFadden had 'done a great job for his constituents', highlighting his efforts to help save the Prouds Lane playing fields.

Mr Kemp has supported Labour since the 1997 General Election but admitted that Jeremy Corbyn was not his choice to lead the party.

But he told the Express & Star: "I am a member of the Labour Party and we have to act as one. At the moment it is all about maybe getting a Labour government.

"It is highly unlikely. It would be historic in fact. But you never know what happens in politics."