Speaking to local media from his Cambridge home, the renowned cosmologist said he was backing Cambridge Labour candidate Daniel Zeichner, due to concerns over the impact a Conservative — or Conservative-led — government would have on the country.
BIUK_Politics: #Polls Stephen Hawking is voting for Labour — despite calling Jeremy Corbyn a 'disaster' … pic.twitter.com/F9XJjxJdOT
— #Polls 4 UK (@Polls4UK) June 6, 2017
"Another five years would be a disaster for the NHS, the police and other public services," Hawking said.
Hawking's remarks may surprise, given his previously expressed antipathy towards Corbyn's leadership. In March, the A Brief History of Time author said Corbyn was a "disaster" — a comment which was tied with an exodus of donors from the party.
When Professor Stephen Hawking is voting #Labour to save the #NHS —you can be sure he's got his facts right. #GE2017 #Newsnight #VoteLabour pic.twitter.com/vDTJmTR5On
— Dr Lauren Gavaghan (@DancingTheMind) June 5, 2017
"I regard Corbyn as a disaster. His heart is in the right place and many of his policies are sound, but he has allowed himself to be portrayed as a left wing extremist. I think he should step down for the sake of the party," he said at the time.
Hawking's intervention may be regarded as extremely timely — and welcome — by Labour supporters in Cambridge. The constituency is extremely marginal — the 18th tightest race in the election, by 2015 figures — with incumbent Zeichner defending a majority of 599. He has competed with Liberal Democrat candidate Julian Huppert twice previously — in 2010, when Huppert held the seat despite a seven percent swing away from the Liberal Democrats, and in 2015, when he won the seat on an eight percent swing to Labour. Hawking endorsed Zeichner at the time.
