Eddie Izzard has said she has the best chance of becoming a Labour MP in Brighton Pavilion as the race for the party’s selection process heats up.

The comedian and activist has said that she has had a “positive” response to her campaign to become Labour’s candidate in the constituency for the next general election, as the party aims to win the seat for the first time in more than a decade.

In an exclusive interview with The Argus, Eddie said: “I have been talking to as many people as possible in Brighton Pavilion. I am putting my case forward.

“I think the fact that I have good name recognition and a visible track record of doing things in a positive and different way, from running marathons, performing in different languages, being out as trans for almost 40 years now, I think that can be a positive thing.

“I want to encourage Labour Party members to give me a chance as I think I have the best chance for becoming a Labour MP.”

The Argus: Comedian Eddie Izzard said she has the 'best chance' of becoming the first Labour MP for Brighton Pavilion for more than a decadeComedian Eddie Izzard said she has the 'best chance' of becoming the first Labour MP for Brighton Pavilion for more than a decade (Image: The Argus/Andrew Gardner)

She also said that some Green voters she has spoken to have been open to voting Labour if she is picked as the party’s candidate.

“Labour voters were voting in the general election for Caroline Lucas, and so I would like to do things the other way round and encourage Green voters to vote for me.

“If you’re a Green voter, you want to see the policies in the statute book - Labour can do that.

“For the last 13 years, Green issues have gone backwards under the Tories and even though Caroline Lucas has done a fantastic job as a constituency MP, she can’t get those policies into power.”

Eddie did not underestimate the challenge that she would face if chosen as the party’s candidate for the next election.

She said: “It’s not going to be easy - Caroline Lucas, who is very well respected, secured a 20,000 vote majority, and she is doing a lot of work with Sian Berry trying to say they are the same person.

“I want to get the selection to go and fight them, but it’s not going to be easy.”

Earlier this year, Eddie Izzard announced she would begin using the name Suzy in addition to Eddie, but said she would continue to use her stage name since it is more widely recognised.

A number of others are expected to face off against Ms Izzard for the nomination, including activist Tom Gray and a selection of councillors from Brighton and Hove City Council.

Whoever is chosen will face off against the Green Party’s Sian Berry, who has already been selected as her party’s candidate following the announcement that sitting MP Caroline Lucas will not run for re-election next year.

Labour is expected to select its candidate for Brighton Pavilion by the end of the year.

The party’s selection process in East Worthing and Shoreham caused controversy earlier this month when two local councillors were prevented from running to be Labour’s candidate, including Worthing Borough Council’s deputy leader Carl Walker.