Legendary actress Emma Thompson is urging voters to opt for the Women's Equality Party in Thursday's local elections.

Despite being a lifetime Labour supporter, Thompson told The Guardian that she has made a U-turn on who to vote for because “I do not want to die before closing the pay gap”.

In a letter to the newspaper, she continued, “I am backing [the Women's Equality Party] because I have met and talked with them and a more committed, bright, inspiring bunch of women with fantastic ideas I have never found.

“I am inspired by Jeremy Corbyn, but I feel like I need to do something new,” she added.

Thompson made specific reference to the London mayoral elections, which have become increasingly fraught in the run-up to Thursday's vote.

Leader of the Women's Equality Party Sophie Walker is standing for London mayor in the election, going head-to-head with Labour candidate Sadiq Kahn and Conservative Zac Goldsmith. 

Thompson wrote that, on her choice of vote: “I just got to the point where I thought, I’m 57, I have voted Labour all my life, I have spent my life living and working in the capital, and I can safely say I have never known it worse.

“I am just so disappointed in our political landscape and what we have done in the last 30 years: it is with great sadness that I say that. I don’t feel spoken to by Labour.

“To be sure, there have been some good shifts but by and large, the dreams of my generation have not been realised and many of our hopes have been dashed.”

READ: Ask A Feminist - Stylist.co.uk challenges the London Mayoral candidates on their policies for women