COMEDIAN Eddie Izzard has been awarded an honorary degree by York St John University for his outstanding achievements as an actor, writer, fundraiser and political activist.

Eddie was presented with the Doctorate of Letters award by Archbishop John Sentamu alongside hundreds of students who also collected their degrees at the York Minster ceremony.

Izzard, 56, a prominent Remain campaigner said he was deeply honoured to receive the degree which because of his dyslexia he had dubbed his Doctorate of Lettuce, and spoke out to call for a second referendum.

 

Chancellor Archbishop Dr John Sentamu (right) presents Eddie Izzard (left) with his honorary degree from York St John University during a graduation award ceremony at York Minster

He said: "I think a lot people who voted Leave are now seeing how negative things have been going in the last two years, how difficult it is to smash everything up, and that we're going to make people poorer in this country."

"The European Union was set up to stop world wars and people have forgotten that There's younger people coming up and they can now vote and they want their future back. There's a lot of angry people who want their future back. Reform the European Union, absolutely, but run-and-hide? We're Brits, we don't quit."

Izzard. who has vowed to be one of the first trans people in Parliament said he did not regard himself as an intellectual. "But I do love pushing the boundaries of knowledge," he added.