Russell Brand Responds To Robert Webb Criticism

Russell Brand has responded to an open letter penned to him by fellow comedian Robert Webb.

Peep Show star Webb had criticised Russ in the New Statesman over his declaration that he does not vote during his recent Newsnight appearance.

Webb had written: "I don't think it's your job to tell young people that they should engage with the political process.

"But I do think that when you end a piece about politics with the injunction 'I will never vote and I don't think you should either', then you're actively telling a lot of people that engagement with our democracy is a bad idea.

"That just gives politicians the green light to neglect the concerns of young people because they've been relieved of the responsibility of courting their vote."

But Russ was dismissive in his response during a Q&A session last night - brushing aside the suggestion that his calls for revolution could lead to violence.

"Just in case anyone else from Peep Show is worried, I am against death camps. In case Super Hans is worried, I am not a Nazi.

"I'm not saying let's go smash people up and certainly not kill people... I'm double, double against genocide. I am talking about a revolution of consciousness.

"Definitely no killing. I'm against that; I'm a vegetarian, I think we're all equal. I'm not saying smash people's stuff up, and definitely no killing."

Webb had written: "I understand your ache for the luminous, for a connection beyond yourself. Russell, we all feel like that. Some find it in music or literature, some in the wonders of science and others in religion.

"But it isn't available any more in revolution. We tried that again and again, and we know that it ends in death camps, gulags, repression and murder. In brief, and I say this with the greatest respect, please read some f**king Orwell."

Brand also suggested that Webb's middle class upbringing may have left him blinkered.

"Maybe it's okay for Robert Webb, no-one is going to take his kids away, but I've heard some examples," he said.

"I don't claim to be a politician. I'm sure there are people in the room who know more about this than I do, I didn't have an education like Robert Webb. But there are people from Leicester in Guantanamo Bay.

"If you went to Oxbridge, if you went to a private school, no-one is coming for your kids. They're not coming for you if you're from Oxbridge. That's my open letter to Robert. I hope it doesn't go to the other one by mistake - David Mitchell - who I really like."