Professor Stephen Hawking declares support for Labour’s Cambridge candidate Daniel Zeichner

The cosmologist thinks Jeremy Corbyn should stand down - but says another five another years of the Tories would be a “disaster” too

Professor Stephen Hawking has declared his support for Daniel Zeichner, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Cambridge, in Thursday’s General Election - a week after calling party leader Jeremy Corbyn a “disaster”.

The Cambridge cosmologist and long-time Labour supporter met with Mr Zeichner, who is hoping to secure a second spell as MP for the city, today (Monday June 5).

Prof Hawking, who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease at the age of 21, said: “I’m voting Labour because another five years of Conservative government would be a disaster for the NHS, the police and other public services.”

Last week he said Corbyn’s “heart was in the right place” and suggested many of his policies were “sound” but called him a “disaster” for the party and suggested he should step down because he had “allowed himself to be portrayed as a left wing extremist”.

Mr Zeichner said: “I was delighted to meet Professor Hawking again and receive his support for my re-election and a Labour government.”

The Labour hopeful will vie for the seat against Liberal Democrat Julian Huppert, Conservative Dr John Hayward, Green Party candidate Stuart Tuckwood and Keith Garrett, of Rebooting Democracy.

Find out the Cambridge candidates’ views on a range of issues by reading our Q&A.