Daniel Radcliffe, star of the Harry Potter films, has publicly switched his allegiance to Labour, having branded Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg a “whipping boy”.
Despite publicly backing the Lib Dems in the 2010 General Election, supporting the party now had become “unviable” thanks to Nick Clegg, says Radcliffe, 22.
Speaking to Attitude Magazine, Radcliffe said: “Nick Clegg has become a whipping boy.
“He has been totally used by the Tories. Anything they don’t want badly reflected on them, they reflect on to him.
“It’s very unfortunate when you think how impressive he was in those pre-election debates. But he has made so many concessions.”
The Harry Potter star, with an estimated fortune of £30m, met David Cameron’s deputy during the General Election, and admitted: “I rather like Nick Clegg”.
Radcliffe added: “I think, if you make a lot more money than most people – like I do – you should pay more tax and subsidise people who work just as hard as you, but don’t earn as much.
Radcliffe’s desertion of the Lib Dems follows Bella Freud, the fashion designer, Colin Firth, the actor, and Kate Mosse, the author, have also abandoned the party since it entered government.
Radcliffe’s favour now falls on Labour leader, Ed Miliband. “I really like him. He speaks for what I believe in. I think he’s genuinely left-wing, and will act as such if he gets in,” he said.
Radcliffe has also weighed in on the American presidency race, saying he was “disgusted” by the “homophobic” rhetoric of the candidates seeking the Republican nomination to be US president.
Radcliffe was the star of the eight Potter films, which grossed more than $7.7bn (£4.87 billion) worldwide at the box office.
In another interview with Heat Magazine, Radcliffe said he drank his way through the filming of the Harry Potter series to cope with the pressure of fame, blaming a “very addictive personality.”
Now promoting his new film, The Woman in Black, Radcliffe says he quit drinking in August 2010.
The Harry Potter film series also made Radcliffe’s co-stars Emma Watson and Rupert Grint household names.
