Almost everyone I speak to in Brighton and Hove seems to be sad and angry about the direction of our city and the state of our country.
People are fed up with late rubbish collections and poor recycling, with streets that look dirty and pavements that are breaking because of weeds.
They despair at what’s happening around the UK – our National Health Service failing every single day, a “cost of living crisis” that has meant millions of working families can’t afford the basics and public services on the brink.
On Thursday 4 May we have a chance to renew our city and send a message to the failing Tory government.
That’s why we’re asking you to use all the votes on your ballot paper for Labour to help elect the first Labour majority council for over 20 years.
In Brighton and Hove we suffer from a triple whammy of misfortune. We’ve had 13 years of budget cuts from the Tory central government, a “no overall control” council and, since 2020, an ineffective minority Green administration.
The truth is that splitting votes between Labour and the Greens has not delivered a dynamic or progressive council – only a Labour majority can do that.
Since 2010, the Conservative government has cut £110 million of funding from Brighton and Hove City Council – and the situation isn’t going to get any better while Rishi Sunak is in Downing Street.
This policy has decimated local services all over the country and even Tory council leaders have been scathing about the damage it’s done.
But in Brighton and Hove the problem has been compounded by poor financial management from a Green Party that’s out of its depth.
When we could have been investing in affordable housing for local people or new equipment to improve basic services, the Green party decided to waste £36 million of council money on the i360.
Labour said that the business case didn’t stack up and voted against the loan. The city will be saddled with this mistake for years to come as the repayments owed on the investment fail to materialise.
We all know things are bad but we have a chance to change them – a chance to elect a dynamic and competent Labour council that sends a message to the Tory government that their time is up.
A split vote will deliver another split council. Use all your votes for Labour on Thursday 4 May.
Jacob Taylor is a Labour candidate standing for election to Brighton and Hove City Council in Moulsecoomb and Bevendean.
Let’s not forget the incoming government in 2010 was faced with the mess left behind by Gordon Brown, bailing out banks which are STILL in public ownership. So now we have bankers’ bonuses funded by the tax-pater, thanks to the Labour party.
So the so-called Tory cuts are of your party’s making.
Since 2010 my council tax has virtually doubled, and what do I get in return?
A town that is an absolute tip, and the laughing stock of the country.
Vote Labour? And get another Green/Labour coalition – no thankyou. I’s rather have the monster raving looney party in charge.
Your view will obviously be greeted with total screaming outrage by all the local lefties, but you are absolutely right. Brown (unelected to be PM and very soon ejected – thanks for nothing, Blair) stuffed all of us and, in particular, stuffed pension funds with his hit on dividends.
I see a lot of frustration with Labour whose underlying philosophy is to wreck the planet as is true of the conservatives. The Greens through probably lack of experience and not had a majority to be able to govern appropriately have made a few mistakes. Now we wait to see what mistakes Labour will make.