Kim BriscoeComedian and Labour supporter Eddie Izzard hit the campaign trail in Norfolk and Suffolk yesterday to back the party's election candidates.The marathon-running charity fundraiser paid a whistle-stop visit to Lowestoft to back Bob Blizzard, then to Norwich to speak in support of Norwich North and Norwich South candidates John Cook and Charles Clarke.Kim Briscoe

Comedian and Labour supporter Eddie Izzard hit the campaign trail in Norfolk and Suffolk yesterday to back the party's election candidates.

The marathon-running charity fundraiser paid a whistle-stop visit to Lowestoft to back Bob Blizzard, then to Norwich to speak in support of Norwich North and Norwich South candidates John Cook and Charles Clarke.

Izzard drew quite a crowd when he joined the Waveney candidate in London Road North at lunchtime and said: 'We've almost got the same name, so it seemed only right that I support his campaign. I've always supported the Labour Party and I firmly believe in our vision for the future of this country.

'I'm lending my support to Bob and his campaign because I believe in Labour, as does he.'

Mr Blizzard presented the comedian with a sports shoe-shaped cake to congratulate him on his recent marathon-running achievement, adding: 'It's fabulous to have Eddie here. The idea of Blizzard meeting Izzard will really set my campaign alight.'

The comic then moved on to Norwich, meeting constituents at the brain sculpture in Norwich's Hay Hill and hearing about the city's bid to become the UK's first City of Culture in 2013.

He described Gordon Brown as 'a serious man for serious times' and said: 'For John and Charles, I totally support them. I have supported the Labour Party since the '90s and even though we have had tough times recently, I'm still standing up and being counted.'

He said the Tories 'may have changed their suits but they have not changed their policies' and urged people to vote for Labour and help the many and not the few.

Izzard, who recently ran 43 marathons in 51 days to raise money for Sport Relief, said his experience meeting people while running around the UK showed Britain was far from the broken nation often portrayed by the Tories. He said: 'I went to towns and cities all over the UK and people everywhere came out and ran with me. Britain's not broken, and I think that the Labour Party's vision for the future will keep it that way.'

The comedian, who has filmed a party political broadcast for the Labour Party, also reaffirmed his intention to run for office, saying it would happen in about a decade: 'I said two years ago I would stand. I have 10 years to get to the place I want to get to.'