Labour announce Brighton candidates for May elections

The party has been campaigning across the city ahead of the election, with Labour aiming to gain majority control of Brighton and Hove City Council for the first time in two decades.

Nine of the party’s current councillors are running for re-election, including Cllr Les Hamilton - who has been a councillor in Portslade since 1999.

Two Labour councillors are moving to stand in new wards in the city, with Cllr Amanda Grimshaw moving from Mouslecoomb and Bevendean to stand in Hangleton and Knoll and Cllr Gary Wilkinson running as a candidate in Kemptown, rather than in Central Hove where is currently a councillor.

Former council leader Warren Morgan is also running as a candidate for Labour, in the new Westdene and Hove Park ward, after previously quitting the party and running as an MEP for the short-lived centrist Change UK party.

In a post on social media, he said that the city needs “committed, competent and innovative leadership”.

He said: “These are vitally important elections locally and nationally and I couldn’t just sit them out.

“I wanted to show my support for Labour under Keir Starmer and for the excellent team of candidates standing locally.”

One of the younger candidates standing for the party in the election is 20-year-old Tom Chatfield, a final-year music student who is standing in the Round Hill ward.

Tom Chatfield, centre, with Councillor Theresa Fowler, left, and Mohammed Asaduzzaman (Image: Brighton and Hove Labour)

Mr Chatfield, the secretary of Brighton and Hove Young Labour, said: “I am one of the huge numbers of young people living here in Brighton and Hove, so I think it is important to have councillors of my age who understand the concerns of young people and can articulate these and influence council policies.

“Young people are so often under-represented in local government and I am proud that Labour is doing something to redress this by encouraging young people like me to stand.”

Although she was only elected three months ago in a council by-election, Cllr Bella Sankey has also been out campaigning in order to secure her re-election in Wish and to encourage people across the city to back Labour in May.

Her fellow candidate in the ward, Paul Nann, said: “I want there to be a majority Labour council and I hope it includes me.

“The next couple of years are going to be tough, but I’m confident that the Labour Party have chosen the right people to get Brighton and Hove through that and then to take advantage of the good times when they come.”

Labour candidate Tristram Burden has been out campaigning in Queen's Park along with MP for Brighton Kemptown Lloyd Russell-Moyle and other party activists (Image: Brighton and Hove Labour)

Full list of Labour’s candidates for the Brighton and Hove local elections

• Brunswick and Adelaide: Andrei Czolak and Jilly Stevens
• Central Hove: Emma Daniel and Joy Robinson
• Coldean and Stanmner: Tobias Sheard and Mitchie Alexander
• Goldsmid: Cllr Jackie O’Quinn, Birgit Miller and Trevor Muten
• Hangleton and Knoll: Cllr Amanda Grimshaw, John Hewitt and Faiza Baghoth
• Hanover and Elm Grove: Ty Galvin, Tim Rowkins and Maureen Winder
• Hollingdean and Fiveways: Cllr Theresa Fowler, Mohammed Asaduzzaman and Bruno De Oliveira
• Kemptown: Cllr Gary Wilkinson and Bharti Gajar
• Moulsecoomb and Bevendean: Cllr Amanda Evans, Ty Goddard and Jacob Taylor
• North Portslade: Lucy Halliwell and Alice Kayley-Burton
• Patcham and Hollingbury: Ben Kent, Liz Wheeler and Tyler Bennington-Poulter
• Preston Park: Theresa Mackey, Liz Loughran and David Messent
• Queen’s Park: Tristram Burden and Chandri Mistry
• Regency: Peter Devonport and Alison Thomson
• Rottingdean and West Saltdean: Ron White and Carole McIver-Wren
• Round Hill: Most Jasmine Ara and Yassin Hassan
• South Portslade: Cllr Alan Robins and Cllr Les Hamilton
• West Hill and North Laine: Tom Chatfield and John Cooper
• Westbourne and Poets’ Corner: Julie Cattell and Leslie Pumm
• Westdene and Hove Park: Ben Philipsborn, Warren Morgan and Lundy Mackenzie
• Whitehawk and Marina: Cllr Gill Williams and David McGregor
• Wish: Cllr Bella Sankey and Paul Nann
• Woodingdean: Jacob Allen and Jacqui Simon

Voters will go to the polls across the city to elect 54 councillors across 23 wards on May 4.

For the first time, people in Brighton and Hove will need to bring a form of photo identification with them to polling stations in order to cast their ballot on election day.

Those without an accepted form of ID can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate from the government via their website.