A Brighton councillor who has been thrown out of the Labour Party has given his initial response to his expulsion in a post on Facebook.
Councillor Nick Childs, one of two Brighton and Hove councillors to have been ejected from the party, wrote: “It is with great sadness that I have to report that I have been expelled from the Labour Party of which I have been a member for 31 years.
“The purported reason is that I liked a Facebook group that was apparently linked to a proscribed left-wing organisation.
“I was unaware of the group, its existence and I am certainly not a member, nor supporter, of this or any other faction.
“The real reason for my expulsion is, I suspect, that I am a democratic socialist and environmentalist who refuses to toe the party line when it comes to inequality and climate change and representing my residents.
“I will post a full statement in due course.
“You can keep contacting me about local issues as I intend to remain a councillor working my hardest, as always, for the ward of Queen’s Park that I love so much.”
Labour has also expelled Councillor Anne Pissaridou, who represents North Portslade on Brighton and Hove City Council.
She said: “I am taking legal advice in respect of appealing the decision and do not have any further comment to make at this time.”
Both were elected in May 2019 although Councillor Pissaridou previously served as a councillor for Wish ward in Hove for four years from 2011 to 2015.
Is this the same councillor Nick Childs who opposes private schools, free schools and academies whilst also sending his own child to *checks notes* Roedean.
It is. ‘Rank hypocrisy’ is a phrase that comes to mind. Also the same man who had a mega-demented rant about the burning of effigies at Lewes Bonfire (not in his ward or even near), which was shot down on this website, even by a Lewes-born priest, who basically told him to get a life and lighten up. Also the same man who proposed some nonsense at a council meeting, citing ‘His Holiness the Pope’ and stuff about Ireland – fine if you’re RC, and the vast majority of us have no issue whatsoever with normal RCs, but it was fanatical and had nothing to do with B&H. Don’t know what happened about that but, hopefully, it was ‘gonged out’ by the Mayor or the council chamber roof flooded, or something. If his ward voters think he is worthy of getting elected again, then that’s their problem, but many of the rest of us would like him gone.
With that level of hypocrisy he could join the Greens
Cllr Childs should have gracefully gone after it was discovered his daughter attended a very expensive Private School. No shame in this for many but blatant hypocrisy from his left wing stand point. At least he is apparently a decent ward councilor. Unfortunately Cllr Pissadorou has been my ward councilor in both Wish and now North Portslade and is utterly useless and non visible locally add to that she instigated the calamitous OSR temporary cycle lane and the lack of planning around her pesticide ban and she really will go down as one of the worst Labour Councilors in living memory.
“…I am certainly not a member, nor supporter, of this or any other faction” says Comrade Childs.
But Comrade you are on record, repeatedly, as a recidivist gold-plated, 100 per cent swivel-eyed supporter and member of the Momentum loonies.
You are a hard-core Corbynista relic – through and through.
Albeit one who sends his child to – wait for it – Roedean!
Dear Nick..please tell us how you square your views on Education with sending your daughter to Roedean? It just doesn’t sit with revolutionary socialist ideals you pretend to support. And your faux outrage at Lewes Bonfire was particularly puerile and hilarious at the same time. I think we all know Brighton will be a better place without you
He won’t get accepted by the Greens he dresses to smartly
Terribly sorry to see this ridiculous expulsion of Nick from the party my great grand father helped to found and of which I have been a member all my life . there is not a more dedicated hard working councillor than Nick Childs and I sincerely hope that the good folk of Queens Park reelect him as an Independent when the next election comes along .Those of you who accuse Nick of hypocrisy for allowing his gifted daughter to take up a scholarship at Rodean know nothing of his beliefs and political philosophy as if you did you would know there is no contradiction in a socialist wishing the best possible opportunities for his child and your cheap attacks on nick say far more about you than they do about him .