WATCH: Ross Kemp joins the Labour campaign in Wolverhampton
Former EastEnders star Ross Kemp urged people to 'get out and vote' next week as he joined Labour's General Election campaign in Wolverhampton.
The star, who played Grant Mitchell in the BBC soap and is an award-winning journalist, visited Villiers Primary School in Bilston, to back Pat McFadden's bid for re-election in Wolverhampton South East.
He posed for photos with dozens of teachers, parents and children on the Thursday morning school run, before urging everyone to vote for Pat on December 12.
WATCH: Ross Kemp on the campaign trail
Mr Kemp also donned a Grinch mask to take part in the school's festive video – while a Villiers Primary School pupil told him he wanted to "see him back in EastEnders".
Mr Kemp, who has supported Labour since the 1997 General Election, urged people to "get off their back sides" and vote next week – in what he called "probably the most important election in generations".
He said: "In Parliament, I know we have had three general elections in four years is it, and this is probably the most important election in generations because whatever the outcome, you are going to need strong, centrist, intelligent people either defending your consituency.
"I worry very much for the future of my country and the future of my children and that is why I am backing people like Pat McFadden. He's pushed policies that not only have helped the people of this constituency but across the country.
"He's a voice for the people here in the Houses of Parliament no matter where we go – because lets be fair it is probably unlikely there is going to be a Labour majority, there may be a Conservative majority, but there may be a hung Parliament, if that happens all promises made before that mean absolutely nothing. There will be deals done left right and centre – and you need someone at that moment with a strong, independent Labour voice talking sense.
"I think not voting next week would be the worse thing you could possibly do. History will show you people sacrificed their lives to enable you to live in a democracy and to enable you to have the vote.
"You can't moan after the event if you didn't actually get off your back side, turn the television off and walk down to a polling station. That's your democratic right and many other countries don't have that right."
He last supported Pat during the election campaign in 2017 and said he is backing him again as he has helped the community in Wolverhampton South East.
Mr Kemp said: "There's lots of reasons I am backing Pat, he's a centrist, he has a strong voice in Westminster and has a great track record here – he helped get the lights up at Bilston Football Club, he has kept green spaces for people to enjoy and he has helped the community here.
"I want to redirect focus to Pat and what he has done for the community and what he will do, if he is re-elected."
Mr McFadden said: "I am hugely grateful to Ross for coming to Bilston. He came to campaign for me in 2017 too, he's a long-time Labour supporter and I am very grateful for his endorsement.
"We have been working very hard since the election was called, it is not the best time of the year, but despite the weather and dark nights, we have spoken to thousands of voters over the last five weeks and my message has been that I have tried to work hard for the community in the past 14 years, to be a strong voice for people in Parliament and to ask for their vote on December 12 to keep doing that."
