Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said that he accepted that Brighton and Hove was not an election target for his party.
But Reform would still put up candidates to give people a choice, he said yesterday (Wednesday 25 March).
The MP for Clacton made his comments at a rally in Ardingly for the local elections taking place across Sussex in May.
Brighton and Hove is not due to have elections until next year and Mr Farage said: “Brighton is totally different from the rest of Sussex
“Could Reform sweep the board in Brighton? I think there are other parts of Sussex that are higher priorities.
“We’ll compete, of course. The Greens are very strong in Brighton … Caroline Lucas was there for many years as the one Green MP in the country.
“I will willingly accept Brighton is not our strongest place but we’ll be there. We’ll be campaigning and giving people a choice.
“But there are many other parts of Sussex in which we’ll do phenomenally well.
“Across the counties (East and West Sussex), it’s been traditional true blue all the way. And last year, Tory fiefdoms (fell across the country) to reform. The same will happen this year.”
He said that Brighton had weeds growing out of the pavements and the highest parking charges in Britain.
At the event yesterday, Reform UK welcomed two defectors from the Conservative group on Wealden District Council – David Greaves and Neil Cleaver.
Any more city cuts, closures and mysterious fires and Reform could find themselves pushing against an open door in BH come the next local election. A few weekend photoshoots of Labour Councillors waving shiny brooms and empty binbags is not going to swing it.
If you mean the fore at the King Alfred there was nothing suspicisous about that – unless you’re a conspiracy theorist.
If you think a Reform contreolled council will be any better then look at e.g. Kent where their promises to cut expenditure and the council tax have been proven to be empty.
In Croyden they selected a candidate for the elected Mayor that had been dead for six months.
https://www.scenemag.co.uk/reform-uk-leader-nigel-farage-declares-that-legalising-same-sex-marriage-was-wrong/
Perhaps try not being homophobic if you want to run in Brighton of all places…..
Come on Kurt. Intelligent person such as you must be aware of all the openly gay men supporting and promoting Reform
Yep, like Gary Farmer? He’s not exactly winning this argument for Reform either, not because of his sexuality, but the things he’s been reported and evidenced as saying about woman and immigration, in particular. Let’s remember, he was chosen to be the Chair for Reform in Brighton. The best they have.
https://standuptoracism.org.uk/yet-more-racism-and-anti-semitism-from-reform-uk-in-brighton-and-hove/
https://brightonandhovesutr.wordpress.com/2025/04/15/gary-farmer-very-far-from-a-charmer/
https://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2025/04/22/election-candidate-deletes-twitter-account/
Good old SUTR – Socialist Workers Party paid for agitators, always screaming hatred and abuse. Nasty people, vile and ignorant. The lies they peddle……..
Great thing about the internet, is that you can view the content and context and decide for yourself. Even deleting ones account doesn’t erase it from the internet. Waybackmachine exists after all.
You are very right there. me for one.
Born and bred Brightonian, who will be voting reform.
Same here.
Well, he is absolutely right that Brighton is completely different to Sussex.
Interesting to see Benjamin agreeing with Nigel Farage here — didn’t expect that crossover.
I also agree with Mr Farrago that Sussex is different to Brighton.
Doesn’t mean I agree with him on any other issue though – because I don’t!
Don’t tell anybody in Brighton you’re voting Reform, they’ll spit in your plant based kebab, expel you from the gong bath breathing group or wee in your ice bath at the sauna… the city is full of people who think they’re the good guys when really they’re just awful, awful, infantile fantasists. If you’re for open borders, what you’re actually doing is supporting people traffickers…
Where did I say I was voting for reform?
Because I didn’t!
“If you’re for open borders, what you’re actually doing is supporting people traffickers”
One of the most intelligently uninspired straw man arguments I’ve ever heard, and we get some really bold takes on here.
Me neither, James.
Brighton is a Reform free zone
Amen to that! Let’s hope it stays that way!
From the downs to the sea, Brighton will be brain cell free…
You advance a daring argument. Have you thought it through?
Reform no chance when we have queen Bella in charge.
Council tax should be increased to pay for the statue and plinth of our esteemed leader.
Thank goodness, i was brought up in Hove and I moved back because I love the energy, acceptance and tolerance in the city of Brighton and Hove.
All those who are saying ‘ i was born and bred’ have you lived anywhere else, or experienced life away from Brighton?
We need reform in Brighton,to sort out this cess pit of a town,i am a true Brightonion,but am now a dying breed,come on Mr Farage!!
You seen KCC? Their “shop window?”
There are more Reform voters in Brighton that even Nigel realises.
And it’s the gays. Who want to stay here alive and well.
Benjamin “I hope you don’t mind me saying, but some of your opinions come across as quite far-right. I’m curious how you think about that.”
“At times your views feel quite strongly aligned with the far right—do you see it that way?”
I’d say that you should feed your AI more information on my historical comments, and it’d tell you that I exclusively express left-wing views and opinions, and that the insinuation that I’m far-right is completely detached from reality, reminiscent of a man who frequently changed his monkier. Let’s not forget that even Cllr. Ivans labelled me as “Labour’s Attack Poodle” – I don’t even qualify as a soft right in his eyes.
Also, I’ve never expressed a single far-right view. Can you point to an example?
Oh absolutely, Benjamin—clearly the entire universe has conspired to misunderstand you. It couldn’t *possibly* be anything to do with how your comments sometimes come across; no, it must be a tragic failure of data input and AI training.
And invoking a councillor calling you “Labour’s Attack Poodle” as definitive proof? Bulletproof. Case closed. Academic journals everywhere are scrambling to update their methodologies.
As for examples—funny how when people consistently get a certain impression, it’s *always* everyone else who’s wrong, isn’t it? But sure, let’s all just recalibrate our perception engines and try harder to see the *true* you.