Ten candidates are to take part in a city-wide Faith Hustings this evening (Thursday 9 April).
The politicians taking part in the Question Time style event will be part of one of two panels – a local election panel and a general election panel.
The hustings event has been organised by Brighton and Hove Faith in Action.
It has the support of the Brighton and Hove Interfaith Contact Group, the Anglican Rural Dean of Brighton, the Brighton and Hove Catholic Deanery, Sussex Jewish Representative Council and the Brighton and Hove Muslim Forum.
The aim is for questions to focus on faith matters and related issues, with the hustings being chaired by Dr Paul Davies, a reader of philosophy at Sussex University who specialises in the philosophy of religion.
The event is due to take place at All Saints Church, in The Drive, Hove. The first panel is from 7pm to 8pm for candidates for Brighton and Hove City Council and from 8.15pm to 9.45pm for parliamentary candidates.
Those taking part on the local elections panel are
- Councillor Sue Shanks (Green, Withdean)
- Councillor Geoffrey Theobald (Conservative, Patcham)
- Councillor Gill Mitchell (Labour, East Brighton)
- David Sears (Liberal Democrat, Brunswick and Adelaide)
- Kevin Smith (UKIP, Goldsmid)
Those taking part on the general election panel are
- Graham Cox (Conservative, Hove)
- Christopher Hawtree (Green, Hove)
- Peter Kyle (Labour, Hove)
- Chris Bowers (Liberal Democrat, Brighton Pavilion)
- Kevin Smith (UKIP, Hove)
Brighton and Hove Faith in Action chairman the Reverend Martin Poole said: “People of faith throughout this city are engaged with issues such as extremism, the plight of the poorest in our society, the education of children, delivery of appropriate healthcare and the role the UK should play on the world stage.
“These are all important as part of the current political agenda and this hustings event will be a great opportunity for members of all our faith communities to hear from our prospective election candidates on all of these issues and more.”
