Eddie Izzard brings Stand up for Europe campaign to University of Leicester
Issued by University of Leicester Press Office on 23 May 2016
Image of Eddie Izzard available to download at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/qs5c6ud1gj1xcry/AABkf3lQxzPq6FJ4sKMa-nIAa?dl=0
Eddie Izzard today (Monday 23rd May) kicked off a new campaign to visit 31 cities in the next 31 days in a bid to get young people to register for the referendum and vote to stay in Europe.
As part of his tour, he will be visiting the University of Leicester on Thursday 16 June where he will deliver a speech about his views on voting to stay in Europe and he will take part in Q&A.
The event will take place between 5.00 – 6.15pm in the Peter Williams Lecture Theatre, Fielding Johnson South Wing at the University of Leicester.
Eddie knows that young people will be key to the result - a recent poll by the National Union of Students found 76 per cent of students want to Remain with just 14 per cent backing Leave. But Ipsos MORI found 18-24-year-olds were almost half as likely to vote as the over-65s, with just 44 per cent voting compared to 76 per cent.
Among the cities he will visit over the next four weeks are Edinburgh, Belfast, Cardiff, Manchester and Cambridge, appearing at universities, schools and other community events.
Ahead of his first event, Eddie Izzard said: “We know the overwhelming majority of young people want to stay in Europe because of the opportunities it presents to work, to study and to travel. I share their positive view of Europe – I am a British European who has performed in German, French and Spanish.
“But if they are not registered, they can’t vote and those opportunities will be taken away without them getting to have their say. It only takes two minutes to register on a smartphone and it must be done by June 7th.
“I got chances from Europe that the generation before me never got – just imagine what benefits young people will get in the future. This could be the biggest decision of their lives and I want to help make sure they get their chance to have their say.”
Jim Butler, Head of Corporate Events at the University of Leicester, said: “The University of Leicester is extremely proud to be hosting this crucial event. As well as presenting his own perspective, Eddie is willing to discuss and debate the implications of leaving the EU with his audience, something that many people feel has been lacking in the broader campaigns to date. Happening just one week before the actual referendum, this is an amazing opportunity for the students, staff and people of Leicester to truly engage with the debate that may well come to define a generation.”
Rachel Holland, President of the University of Leicester Students’ Union, said: “We're really pleased to be welcoming Eddie Izzard to our University next month. It's vital that students and young people exercise their democratic right to vote on June 23rd and regardless of which way the vote goes, it is young people who are going to be impacted the most by the result.”
To register to attend this free event, please click here. Please remember to register to vote before attending this event. It is easy to register online here. This event is open to University of Leicester students, University of Leicester staff and the general public. Tickets will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
ENDS
For further information, please contact Katie Morris on: kmm48@leicester.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
1. Stand Up For Europe is registering an official referendum campaign.
2. List of tour dates:
Stand Up For Europe dates
For event information and registration please refer to www.eddieizzard.com
Monday 23rd May: Birmingham
G11, Aston University, 2pm
Tuesday 24th May: Reading
3sixty, Reading University Student’s Union, Whiteknights Campus, 6pm
Wednesday 25th May: Southampton
Switch Bar, organised by Southampton University Student’s Union, 2pm
Thursday 26th May: Bath
Komedia, organised by Bath Spa University Student’s Union, 2pm
Friday 27th May: Bristol
UWE Exhibition and Conference Centre, University of West of England, 2pm
Saturday 28th May: Swansea
Grove Lecture Theatre, Swansea University Student’s Union, 7pm
Sunday 29th May: Cardiff
Art Car Bootique, Chapter Arts Centre, 4.15pm
Monday 30th May: Sheffield
Student’s Union Auditorium, The University of Sheffield, 2pm
Tuesday 31st May: Barrow-in-Furness (closed event)
Barrow Sixth Form College, 1.30 - 2.30pm
Wednesday 1st June: Edinburgh
Teviot Row House - Lounge Bar, Edinburgh University Student’s Union, 3pm - 4pm
Thursday 2nd June: Belfast
Whitla Hall, Methodist College Belfast, 7.30pm
Friday 3rd June: Derry/Londonderry
The Glassworks, Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin, 2pm
Saturday 4th June: London
Udderbelly Festival at Southbank Centre, 2.15pm
Tuesday 7th June: Portsmouth
University of Portsmouth, 6.30pm
Wednesday 8th June: Warwick
University of Warwick, 12.30pm
Thursday 9th June: Nottingham
University of Nottingham, 2.30pm
Friday 10th June: Manchester
Manchester Metropolitan University, 4pm
Saturday 11th June: Stoke on Trent
Staffordshire University, 2pm
Sunday 12th June: Cambridge (Closed to Cambridge University students)
Cambridge University, 2pm
Monday 13th June: Colchester
University of Essex, 2pm
Tuesday 14th June: Oxford
University of Oxford, 3pm
Thursday 16th June: Leicester
University of Leicester, 5pm
Thursday 17th June: Norwich
University of East Anglia, 1pm
