26 March 2024 – Steve Davis, convenor of the Green group of councillors on Brighton & Hove City Council, has called for the Labour Party to pay the cost of the two by-elections that have been announced for Thursday 2 May in Queen’s Park and Kemptown wards.
“Labour have themselves suggested that their two councillors, who recently resigned, were ineligible to stand in the first place. This means that Labour’s due diligence was clearly very poor, if it was undertaken at all.”
“It is the mismanagement and incompetence of Labour that has caused this additional effort and expense for the council, which we estimate at up to £40,000 just to organise these by-elections, in addition to the allowances claimed by Labour’s disgraced ex-councillors.
Labour should pay the cost of the two by-elections
“It is outrageous that local council tax payers should have to foot the bill. It’s time for Labour to do the decent thing and meet the cost that they have forced the council to incur.”
“We don’t let just anyone stand for us – we always select candidates who have a strong track record of supporting their local communities and the city as a whole,” said Cllr Davis.
The Green Party will announce their two candidates for the by-elections this week and have stated that both candidates will be long-established local people.