Editing Brian May (section)

===Activism===
[[File:Brian May filming for the BBC's 'The One Show'.jpg|thumb|right|May filming for the BBC's ''The One Show'' in 2011 for an anti–badger culling campaign.]]

Though a [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] voter most of his life,<ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/the_daily_politics/8730078.stm | work=[[BBC News]] | title=Brian May on saving the fox | date=9 June 2010 | access-date=9 June 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306040808/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/the_daily_politics/8730078.stm | archive-date=6 March 2012 | url-status=live }}</ref> he has stated that their policies on [[fox hunting]] and the [[Badger culling in the United Kingdom|culling of badgers]] meant he did not vote for them in the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 UK general election]]. 

In 2013, May joined French guitar player [[Jean-Pierre Danel]] for a charity Danel launched for the benefit of [[animal rights in France]]. The guitarists signed guitars and art photos together, and were joined by Hank Marvin.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://brianmay.com/brian/briannews/briannewsapr13a.html#07 |title=Brian News – April 2013 |publisher=Brianmay.com |access-date=15 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150330162802/http://www.brianmay.com/brian/briannews/briannewsapr13a.html#07 |archive-date=30 March 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Brianmaywestminster.jpg|thumb|upright|left|May outside the [[Houses of Parliament]] in London during a June 2013 anti-badger cull demonstration]]

Prior to the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015 general election]], it was reported that May was considering standing as an [[Independent politician|independent Member of Parliament]]. It was also revealed that May had started a "Common Decency" project "to re-establish common decency in our lives, work and Parliament". May said he wanted to "get rid of the current government" and wished to see a [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] containing "individuals voting according to their conscience".<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/brian-may-could-stand-as-an-independent-mp-queen-guitarists-spokesperson-drops-tenuous-hints-about-political-intentions-10023508.html | title=Brian May 'could stand an Independent MP': Queen guitarist's spokesperson drops tenuous hints about political intentions | work=[[The Independent]] | first=Jenn | last=Selby | date=4 February 2015 | access-date=18 July 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150722230820/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/brian-may-could-stand-as-an-independent-mp-queen-guitarists-spokesperson-drops-tenuous-hints-about-political-intentions-10023508.html | archive-date=22 July 2015 | url-status=live }}</ref> May was one of several celebrities who endorsed the parliamentary candidacy of the [[Green Party of England and Wales|Green Party]]'s [[Caroline Lucas]] at the election.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/apr/24/celebrities-sign-statement-support-caroline-lucas-not-green-party | title=Celebrities sign statement of support for Caroline Lucas – but not the Greens | work=[[The Guardian]] | location=London | first=Jessica | last=Elgot | date=24 April 2015 | access-date=22 July 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191003042244/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/apr/24/celebrities-sign-statement-support-caroline-lucas-not-green-party | archive-date=3 October 2019 | url-status=live }}</ref> He also endorsed a Conservative Party candidate, [[Henry Smith (British politician)|Henry Smith]], on the grounds of his animal welfare record.<ref>{{cite news | url= http://www.crawleynews.co.uk/Queen-legend-Brian-urges-Crawley-residents-vote/story-26243354-detail/story.html?r1=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.crawleynews.co.uk%2FQueen-legend-Brian-urges-Crawley-residents-vote%2Fstory-26243354-detail%2Fstory.html | title= Queen legend Brian May urges Crawley residents to vote Conservative at General Election | work= Crawley News | date= 27 March 2015 | access-date= 22 July 2015 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150723035853/http://www.crawleynews.co.uk/Queen-legend-Brian-urges-Crawley-residents-vote/story-26243354-detail/story.html?r1=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.crawleynews.co.uk%2FQueen-legend-Brian-urges-Crawley-residents-vote%2Fstory-26243354-detail%2Fstory.html | archive-date= 23 July 2015 | url-status= live }}</ref>

In July 2015, May criticised UK Prime Minister [[David Cameron]] for giving members of parliament a free vote on amending the ban on fox hunting in England and Wales. During a live television interview, he described the pro-hunting organisation the [[Countryside Alliance]] as "a bunch of lying bastards" for their support for a change to the law.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/a-bunch-of-lying-bastards--brian-may-and-paul-mccartney-hit-out-at-david-camerons-cruel-and-unnecessary--bid-to-bring-back-fox-hunting-10380869.html | title='A bunch of lying b*****ds' – Brian May and Paul McCartney hit out at David Cameron's 'cruel and unnecessary' bid to bring back fox hunting | work=[[The Independent]] | first=Matt | last=Dathan | date=10 July 2015 | access-date=12 July 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150712202052/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/a-bunch-of-lying-bastards--brian-may-and-paul-mccartney-hit-out-at-david-camerons-cruel-and-unnecessary--bid-to-bring-back-fox-hunting-10380869.html | archive-date=12 July 2015 | url-status=live }}</ref> The government postponed the vote following the intervention of the [[Scottish National Party]]'s Westminster MPs, who committed to vote to keep the ban as it existed. May told anti-hunt protesters in a rally outside Parliament that it was "a very, very important day for our democracy" but added "we have not yet won the war, there's no room for complacency".<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/brian-may-hails-important-day-for-democracy-after-vote-on-foxhunting-ban-is-postponed-10388195.html | title=Brian May hails 'important day for democracy' after vote on foxhunting ban is postponed | work=[[The Independent]] | first=Emily | last=Beamen | date=14 July 2015 | access-date=18 July 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150717034615/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/brian-may-hails-important-day-for-democracy-after-vote-on-foxhunting-ban-is-postponed-10388195.html | archive-date=17 July 2015 | url-status=live }}</ref>

In June 2017, May endorsed [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] leader [[Jeremy Corbyn]] in the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017 general election]]. May shared an article on Twitter by ''[[The Independent]]'' headlined "Jeremy Corbyn says Fox hunting is 'barbarity' and pledges to keep it banned"<ref name="independent">{{cite news|last=Oppenheim|first=Maya|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/News/uk/home-news/election-2017-celebrities-vote-party-ballots-comedians-actors-footballers-steve-coogan-danny-devito-a7779151.html|title=Election 2017: The surprising and not-so surprising ways celebrities will be casting their ballots today|newspaper=[[The Independent]]|date=8 June 2017|access-date=14 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170624143521/http://www.independent.co.uk/News/uk/home-news/election-2017-celebrities-vote-party-ballots-comedians-actors-footballers-steve-coogan-danny-devito-a7779151.html|archive-date=24 June 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> and captioned it: "Well, I guess that just about clinches it !! Anyone see any good reason not to prefer the evidently decent Corbyn over the weak and wobbly Mrs May? Bri".<ref>{{cite news |title=What celebrities including JK Rowling, Stephen Hawking and Brian May had to say about the general election |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/news/celebrities-including-jk-rowling-stephen-hawking-brian-may-had/ |access-date=13 June 2022 |work=The Telegraph}}</ref>

In October 2018, May said, "I don't like all this separatist stuff and you know this sort of illusion that we can all stand on our own, to me the future lies in co-operation. I get up every day and put my head in my hands about [[Brexit]] – I think it's the stupidest thing we ever tried to do." He also said that Prime Minister [[Theresa May]] was "driven by vanity and thirst for power".<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/queen-gutarist-brian-may-says-brexit-is-stupid-1-5757026|title = Brian May: 'Brexit is the stupidest thing we ever tried to do'|work = [[The New European]]|first = Jonathon|last = Read|date = 30 October 2018|access-date = 18 December 2018|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181218193400/https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/queen-gutarist-brian-may-says-brexit-is-stupid-1-5757026|archive-date = 18 December 2018|url-status = live}}</ref>

In the run-up to the [[2019 United Kingdom general election]] May criticised what he saw as the poor conduct of the media and declined to endorse either candidate, stating that he found it "impossible" to vote for either Jeremy Corbyn or [[Boris Johnson]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://brianmay.com/brian/brianssb/brianssbnov19b.html |title=Bri's Soapbox |last=May |first=Brian |date=22 November 2019 |website=brianmay.com |access-date=5 January 2020 |archive-date=25 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225181438/https://brianmay.com/brian/brianssb/brianssbnov19b.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> After the election in which the Conservatives won a majority, May vowed to continue fighting for animal welfare but in an [[Instagram]] and blog post he urged his followers to congratulate Johnson and "wish Boris a decent chance to rebuild Britain" before praising reforms to animal welfare laws made by [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] Environment Secretary [[Michael Gove]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://brianmay.com/brian/brianssb/brianssbdec19b.html |title=Bri's Soapbox |last=May |first=Brian |date=26 December 2019 |website=brianmay.com |access-date=5 January 2020 |archive-date=25 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225224449/https://brianmay.com/brian/brianssb/brianssbdec19b.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Queen's Brian May on Boris Johnson winning General Election 'give him benefit of doubt' |access-date=5 January 2020 |date=14 December 2019 |website=Daily Express |first=George |last=Simpson|url=https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/music/1217310/Queen-Brian-May-Boris-Johnson-general-election-2019-Freddie-Mercury-Michael-Gove }}</ref> In 2021 May criticised Johnson for his response to the COVID-19 pandemic, calling it inadequate.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/brian-may-boris-johnson-covid-b1898230.html |title=Brian May attacks Boris Johnson over handling of Covid pandemic: 'At every point, he did too little, too late' |work=The Independent |last=O'Connor |first=Roisin |date=7 August 2021 |access-date=23 August 2021 }}</ref>

In the lead up to the [[2019 Okinawan referendum]] on [[Relocation of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma#Henoko Bay plan|landfill work at Henoko Bay]] for the expansion of the base in Okinawa, Japan, May advocated voting in opposition to the landfill.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20190107/p2a/00m/0na/016000c|title=Queen guitarist May seeks signatures for petition against Okinawa base transfer work|first=Maki|last=Nakajima|work=[[Mainichi Shimbun]]|date=7 January 2019|access-date=28 January 2019}}</ref>