Brighton election: Labour claims 'astonishing support'

The party has been working to achieve an overall majority on Brighton and Hove City Council for the first time in 20 years, with the election campaign now in its final days.

In an exclusive interview with The Argus, Labour deputy leader Amanda Evans said it has had a “very positive” campaign.

“We’re getting scores on the doors in some wards that are frankly astonishing,” she said.

“Of course, I can’t quite imagine this will happen on the day but we are getting figures in some wards that are around the 70 to 80 per cent mark and they are wards where Labour was quite marginal and with new boundaries.”

Ms Evans said the party is seeing “amazing numbers” in strongly Conservative wards following its by-election victories in Rottingdean and Wish, as well as Green-held parts of the city.

She said: “We’re getting some very strong data in previously solid Green wards, there’s quite a lot of anger out there in certain places.”

Despite the results on the doorstep, Ms Evans said the party is not complacent and activists, candidates and residents can only be certain of the result after all the votes are counted.

“No individual thinks that they’ve won until the returning officer calls out their name,” she said.

Looking back on the last three years since the Greens took control of the council, Ms Evans said the city is in a “terrible state” and claimed money has been squandered on “far too many ideological vanity projects” such as the proposed low-traffic neighbourhood in Hanover and Tarner.

“It’s not even really about the climate emergency, it’s about punishing motorists,” she said.

“The Greens are right that you do improve air quality by persuading people to drive their cars less but you don’t do that by wielding a stick and punishing them constantly. You do it by giving them what they ask for over and over again in consultations and what they want is a park and ride scheme.”

LOCAL ELECTIONS MANIFESTOS:

• Eight changes Labour promises in manifesto ahead of local elections
• Ten ways the Greens would change the city if they win the elections
• Ten things the Conservatives would do for Brighton if elected in local election
• Lib Dem plans to ban parking on A259, bring back trams and have safe spaces for drug users
• 'Putting needs of Brighton first' - this is what Brighton and Hove Independents would do for city
• Five ways socialist party TUSC would change the city

Labour said it is committed to going “back to basics” and improving the city’s recycling collection, tackling overgrown weeds and fixing potholes.

She said the party would fight to address the housing crisis by implementing “radical policies”.

Ms Evans stressed the importance of ensuring Labour has overall control of the council to avoid another four years of deadlock and delay on important issues.

She said: “Labour really can make a difference in this city, even in the current terrible financial circumstances.

“Give us a majority and we’ll prove it to you.”

Voters across the city will go to the polls on Thursday to elect 54 councillors for the next four years.

People casting their ballot on election day will be required to show a form of photo ID at polling stations in order to vote, with a full list of accepted forms of ID available on the government’s website.