Eddie Izzard in city event to spread pro-EU message

The popular stand-up comedian will speak at the University of Portsmouth as part of his Stand Up For Europe campaign tour.

He will urging the electorate, particularly young people, to exercise their right to vote ahead of the EU referendum on June 23.

Eddie will present his pro-EU arguments to a sold-out audience at the university on Tuesday – the deadline day for people to register to vote.

Eddie 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.

‘But if they are not registered, they can’t vote and those opportunities will be taken away without them getting to have their say.’

The university has confirmed a representative of the pro-Brexit Vote Leave campaign will also speak at the event, to ensure a fair and balanced debate.

Vice-chancellor Graham Galbraith said: ‘It is important we encourage and support open debate on such important issues and I am looking forward to hearing what will no doubt be a robust discussion.

‘This is an issue which has the potential to change our lives in Britain and alter fundamentally the operation of the University of Portsmouth, our research and teaching activities and the way we interact with Europe and internationally.’

The Stand Up For Europe campaign tour, which kicked off last month in Birmingham, will see Eddie travel to 31 UK cities in 31 days – but he is no stranger to strenuous touring cycles.

Eddie has performed his latest stand-up show, Force Majeure, in 30 countries and counting since April 2013.

The hard-touring comic also ran 27 marathons in 27 days across South Africa earlier this year, raising over £1.35m for Sport Relief.

He will perform a triple rendition of Force Majeure in three different languages – English, French and German – the day before his Portsmouth appearance, in Caen, France, to mark the 72nd anniversary of D-Day.

Eddie said: ‘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.’