Green Leader of the Opposition on Brighton & Hove City Council Councillor Steve Davis has reacted to news that two former Labour councillors, Bharti Gajjar and Chandni Mistry, currently under investigation into claims of electoral fraud, have stated they will resign.
Councillor Davis said “This announcement is long overdue. It’s a disgrace that thanks to Labour’s careless selection process, residents of Queen’s Park and Kemptown have been without proper representation for almost ten months.
“This whole tawdry episode only highlights the disregard Labour had for voters at the last election, making empty promises and fielding candidates with no intention of representing their wards.
“With the outcomes of the police investigation into electoral fraud not yet known, and clear indications that Labour knew about issues with these candidates months before they notified the police or residents, serious questions remain unanswered.”
“The city now pays the price of Labour’s botched selection process through two more costly by-elections – not to mention the thousands of pounds in allowances these councillors claimed while unable to fulfil their duties. Greens will be putting forward excellent local candidates ready and determined to give local residents the representation they truly deserve.
“We will fight to ensure a voice for the people in Queen’s Park and Kemptown who have been let down by Labour and denied access to local democracy for so long.”
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