Putting on the glitz
Date published: 12 January 2011
STAR support... John Middleton, David Nielson and Tom Hingley join Debbie Abrahams
Soaps stars get on their soapbox to boost vote
CELEBRITY glitz was injected into the Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election as three famous faces gave their support to Labour.
The stars joined Labour candidate Debbie Abrahams on the campaign trail as they met shoppers and party supporters at Huddersfield Road Tesco. David Nielson, who plays eccentric cafe owner Roy Cropper in Coronation Street, John Middleton, also known as Rev Ashley Thomas from Emmerdale, and Inspiral Carpets frontman Tom Hingley all gave Mrs Abrahams their backing. And they urged residents to use their vote — whatever party they support.
Mr Nielson, whose character has become one of the ITV soap’s most popular figures since joining in 1995, said: “I’ve been Labour all my life. But whatever way you vote please turn out. Hopefully I will influence people to get involved in democracy.”
The most important issue for him is Government cuts. He said: “It’s about who’s going to pay. There are a lot of people in this area who will be affected by these cuts.”
Asked what his character, famous for marrying Hayley Patterson, the first transsexual character in a British soap, would make of it all, he replied: “I think Roy would be very involved and even further to the left of me.”
Mr Middleton, who has played Emmerdale’s village vicar since 1996, said: “I have been a member of the Labour party since 1982 so it’s a no-brainer for me. Debbie Abrahams is a fantastic character for the area and knows it well.”
He attacked Tory and Lib-Dem U-turns over raising VAT, university tuition fees and police cuts.
He claimed the Tories had ignored the banking crisis to suggest that cuts were taking place because of Labour spending too much.
While playing down the suggestion that he will have an influence on voters, he said he hoped his campaigning showed people that politics is not just about politicians.
And he said his character “would be fascinated but, unlike me, I think he would be very clearly sitting on the fence.”
Fellow party member Mr Hingley, the singer in Oldham’s best-known band, said it was easy for people not to get involved in the political process but they would be mad not to have their say on such an important issue.
He said: “It’s really important that people vote. We all have a stake in society. We have a Government that no one voted for and it’s important people make a positive choice.”
Mr Hingley’s dad was a Methodist Minister in Hollinwood and he added: “Oldham is important to me. A lot of my friends and the band are from Shaw and Oldham.”
With three daughters, he particularly objects to the tripling of university tuition fees.
