Alan Moore, the self-proclaimed “anarchist” who wrote the Watchmen comic books, has announced he will be voting for the first time in 40 years.

Ahead of the election in 2017, Moore threw his support behind Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, but said he was refusing to vote as he “prefers direct political action and comment without an elected intermediary”.

Moore has now said he will vote in the next election, which will take place on 12 December, and explained why in a Twitter statement posted by his daughters, Amber and Leah Moore.

“Here’s something you don’t see every day, an internet-averse anarchist announcing on social media that he’ll be voting Labour in the December elections,” he wrote.

“But these are unprecedented times. I’ve voted only once in my life, more than 40 years ago, being convinced that leaders are mostly of benefit to no one save themselves. That said, some leaders are so unbelievably malevolent and catastrophic that they must be strenuously opposed by any means available.”

The top 20 books Brits pretend to have read Show all 20 1 /20 The top 20 books Brits pretend to have read The top 20 books Brits pretend to have read 20. The Fountainhead – Ayn Rand The top 20 books Brits pretend to have read 19. The Bell Jar – Sylvia Plath The top 20 books Brits pretend to have read 18. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind – Yuval Noah Harari The top 20 books Brits pretend to have read 17. The Tipping Point – Malcolm Gladwell The top 20 books Brits pretend to have read 16. Ulysses – James Joyce The top 20 books Brits pretend to have read 15. Lolita – Vladimir Nabakov Charlotte Hodges The top 20 books Brits pretend to have read 14. The Old Man and The Sea – Ernest Hemingway Ernest Hemingway in London at Dorchester Hotel 1944 - Public Domain (porvided by the US National Archives and Records Administration) The top 20 books Brits pretend to have read 13. The Odyssey – Homer The top 20 books Brits pretend to have read 12. Crime and Punishment – Fyodor Dostoevsky The top 20 books Brits pretend to have read 11. A Brief History of Time – Stephen Hawking Getty Images The top 20 books Brits pretend to have read 10. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer – Mark Twain circa 1895: Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835 - 1910) the novelist, who wrote under the pen name of Mark Twain. (Photo by Ernest H. Mills/Getty Images) Getty The top 20 books Brits pretend to have read 9. Treasure Island – Robert Louis Stevenson The top 20 books Brits pretend to have read 8. War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy WARNING: Embargoed for publication until 12:00:01 on 04/12/2015 - Programme Name: War & Peace - TX: n/a - Episode: War & Peace (No. Ep 4) - Picture Shows: **STRICTLY NOT FOR PUBLICATION UNTIL 00:01HRS, FRIDAY 4TH DECEMBER, 2015** Natasha Rostov (LILY JAMES) - (C) BBC - Photographer: Laurie Sparham BBC The top 20 books Brits pretend to have read 7. Moby Dick – Herman Melville Alamy The top 20 books Brits pretend to have read 6. Great Expectations The top 20 books Brits pretend to have read 5. Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen Jane Austen English novelist Jane Austen from an original family portrait. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Getty The top 20 books Brits pretend to have read 4. 1984 – George Orwell The top 20 books Brits pretend to have read 3. Romeo and Juliet – William Shakespeare The English poet and dramatist, William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), circa 1610. Painting known as the 'Chandos portrait' (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Getty The top 20 books Brits pretend to have read 2. To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 05: Pulitzer Prize winner and "To Kill A Mockingbird" author Harper Lee smiles before receiving the 2007 Presidential Medal of Freedom in the East Room of the White House November 5, 2007 in Washington, DC. The Medal of Freedom is given to those who have made remarkable contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, culture, or other private or public endeavors. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Getty The top 20 books Brits pretend to have read 1. The Bible Getty/iStock

He acknowledged that his vote “...is principally against the Tories rather than for Labour”, but described Corbyn’s manifesto as “the most encouraging set of proposals that I’ve ever seen from any major British party”.

Moore added: “Though these are immensely complicated times and we are all uncertain as to which course we should take, I’d say the one that steers us furthest from the glaringly apparent iceberg is the safest bet.”