Writers, Artists and Performers Backing the "Lib Dem This Time" Campaign

CELEB SUPPORT: The BBC reports that this year the Liberal Democrats are winning huge celebrity endorsement, noting that Musician and record producer Brian Eno is actively campaigning for the party, with his website LibDemThisTime urging votes for the Lib Dems.

Also mentioned are ex-BBC boss Greg Dyke and former TV agony aunt Claire Rayner, both high profile former Labour voters. Other supporters range from scientist Richard Dawkins to writer and broadcaster Germaine Greer, rabbi Julia Neuberger, and Travis frontman Fran Healy. Broadcaster Nicholas Parsons, film critic Barry Norman and epidemiologist Sir Richard Doll are also on the list - as is Lalla Ward, who played Dr Who's assistant Romana in the 1970s.

LibDemThisTime: http://www.libdemthistime.org.uk/

DAME ANITA RODDICK OBE founded The Body Shop and is now a full-time social campaigner.

NICHOLAS PARSONS performs on radio, television and stage. He presents Radio 4's 'Just a Minute'. Commenting on Lib Dem This Time, he said: "I support the Liberal Democrats because I believe in the value of a third party presenting a fair and intelligent view in the House of Commons. I support Proportional Representation, which the LibDems have always advocated. I was completely against the war in Iraq and the consequences which were bound to follow; the LibDems condemned this war from the start."

DR. GERMAINE GREER is a leading feminist writer.

RICHARD DAWKINS FRS is a world-renowned scientist based in Oxford. He will be voting Lib Dem this time "to break out of the two party, first-past-the-post stranglehold".

LALLA WARD, actress (Romana in Doctor Who) and writer, will be voting Lib Dem this time in Oxford.

FRAN HEALY is the lead singer of TRAVIS.

DAVID GILMOUR is the author of award-winning biographies of Rudyard Kipling, Lord Curzon and Giuseppe di Lampedusa.

BRIAN ENO is a musician, producer and artist who lives in London. He says: "I decided to set up this site because I want to see change in our political system. My ideas are more fully explained on the home page of the site."

RIKKI STEIN, arts manager, is backing the site. "I've received Brian Eno's message and agree with his thinking wholeheartedly."

BARRY NORMAN is supporting the Lib Dems this time. He says: "Yes, I'd be delighted to add my name to the site. Why am I a Lib Dem? Many reasons - I believe, as the party does, in strong ties with the rest of Europe; I believe in free university education and in the provision of free care for the old and infirm; I believe that the council tax system as it stands is in urgent need of reform; and - last but not least - I believe, from my own personal experience, that the Lib Dems (unlike the other two main parties) are led by people I can trust."

SOPHIE FIENNES is a documentary film-maker whose most recent film was 'Hoover Street revival'.

IAN ANDERSON, editor of fRoots Magazine, will be voting Lib Dem. He tells us that: "I've voted Lib Dem, or before that plain old Lib, in every single election since I could vote, and I've never yet voted for the winning candidate. Do I consider that a wasted vote? Certainly not. The bigger numbers the so-called "third party" gets, the greater the pressure for change to a fair voting system. Would that result in hung parliaments? Probably yes, and as far as I can see this may be a Good Thing too - not immediately, but it would perhaps eventually result in politicians being rated more for their abilities and integrity than their dumb allegiance to a party line."

ROSIE BOYCOTT is a journalist and broadcaster.

EMILY YOUNG is an artist with work in collections all over the world.

TOM PHILLIPS FRA is a painter and composer.

RABBI JULIA NEUBERGER became Britain's first woman rabbi to have her own synagogue in 1977. She is a member of the Committee on Standards in Public Life.

CHARLES GLASS is a journalist. He was kidnapped in Lebanon in 1987, and covered the wars in Iraq in 1991 and 2003.

SIR PETER HALL CBE created the Royal Shakespeare Company, was Director of The National Theatre, and is now Artistic Director of the Kingston Theatre.

ROBIN GRANT publishes perfect.co.uk and is backing this campaign.

PHILLIP KNIGHTLEY is a writer, twice named Journalist of the Year.

JON HOPKINS, a composer, producer and pianist, sent an email asking to be included in the list of supporters. He added: "By nature I had never been a political person but this all changed dramatically with the advent of the recent Iraq war, and mostly by tying every one of us to the most powerful idiot in the world."

BARBARA HAYWARD has emailed to say she is backing this campaign.

SIR RICHARD DOLL CH OBE FRS is a distinguished epidemiologist based in Oxford.

BRIAN CLARKE FRSA is an artist, a Professor of Architectural Art and executor of the estate of Francis Bacon.

DENNIS MARKS, film maker and broadcaster, former General Director English National Opera and former Head of Music BBC Television is backing the Lib Dems in Islington South.

GREGORY NORMINTON, novelist, is backing the Lib Dems because: "After nearly a century of two-party rule, only they can oxygenate the tired soil of our democracy. But they need enough voters to take the risk this time."

AUDREY SLAUGHTER, novelist and former magazine editor, is backing Lib Dem This Time.

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