The Liberal Democrats have selected their party’s candidate to stand in the Queen’s Park by-election for a seat on Brighton and Hove City Council.
The party has chosen Rüdiger Dikty-Daudiyan, also known as Rüdi Dikty, 46, who stood when the last by-election was held in the ward this time last year.
The latest by-election is scheduled to be held on Thursday 24 September – and is the third in the two-member ward since the local elections in May 2023.
It was called after Labour councillor Milla Gauge resigned over safeguarding concerns, saying that the council is not doing enough to protect children questioning their gender identity.
Mr Dikty-Daudiyan is a freelance translator who lives in the ward with his husband and dog, Emma.
He said that he was passionate about community engagement and improving the local community that he loves.
He said: “Voters in Queen’s Park are exhausted by the constant churn and infighting within the current Labour administration.
“This is the third Labour councillor to quit in this ward alone since 2023. While they are busy fighting internal battles, our basic services are suffering.
“I am running to hold the council accountable for the city’s persistently poor recycling rates and missed bin collections and to fight for better local infrastructure, ensuring council tax is spent on essential services rather than the administrative costs of endless by-elections.
“Sensitive safeguarding concerns, as raised by the resigning Labour councillor Milla Gauge, must be handled transparently and professionally, never shut down behind closed doors or weaponised.
“The Liberal Democrats believe unequivocally that all individuals, especially vulnerable young people and the trans community, deserve compassionate, evidence-based healthcare.”
Mr Dikty-Daudiyan said that in his spare time he was a keen tennis player, playing for Queen’s Park Tennis Club in the Brighton and Hove Parks League, and was a volunteer for the Pug Dog Welfare and Rescue Association.
