A former Labour councillor is standing as a left-wing socialist candidate at tomorrow’s local election.

Dave Hill was a member of the Labour Party for more than 40 years after joining on his 16th birthday and once served as the leader of the party’s group of councillors on East Sussex County Council.

However, he is now standing as a candidate for TUSC (Trade Union and Socialist Coalition) for Brighton and Hove City Council after becoming “politically homeless”.

Mr Hill quit Labour following the invasion of Iraq and although he briefly rejoined when Jeremy Corbyn became Labour leader he left again after current leader Keir Starmer suspended him from the party.

Mr Hill said: “I am absolutely appalled by Starmer - he is dull, dangerous and dishonest.

“The Labour Party has expelled or driven out thousands of good socialists, often under the flimsiest of excuses.

“The party is now the reserve team of the ruling class of the rich and the bankers not a party for us lefties and socialists.”

LOCAL ELECTIONS 2023:

Mr Hill, who is standing in Westbourne and Poet’s Corner, described the current Green-led administration as “a joke”.

“It’s the only Green-led council in England and yet it’s got the worst recycling rates in Sussex.

“What’s worse, they - together with Labour, Liberal Democrats and the Tories accept Conservative government cuts to local council services - to libraries, council house building, schools and social care for the disabled and elderly.

“Faced with horrendous cuts on the horizon the Greens shrug their shoulders as do Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats and say there’s nothing we can do.”

Westbourne and Poet’s Corner election candidates

  • Michael Bates, Conservative Party
  • Julie Cattell, Labour
  • Mark Clayton, Conservative Party
  • Geoff Date, Liberal Democrats
  • Dave Hill, TUSC
  • Renato Marques, Green Party
  • Patricia Mountain, UKIP
  • Leslie Pumm, Labour Party
  • Geoff Shanks, Green Party
  • James Verguson, Independent

TUSC are calling for councils to oppose all cuts and closures by local councils, reject increases to council tax and service charge increases for working-class people and support workers with inflation-proof pay rises.

Mr Hill said: “As socialists we will refuse to carry out cuts and will restore some of the much-loved and much-needed services for local people.

“We will seek to reverse the cuts and encourage every council in the country to do the same. We call for a budget based on needs not a budget carrying out Tory cuts.”

The Argus:

He urged voters to “resist this government of millionaires and their local minions”.

“We call for local council services to ensure no one is cold, no one is hungry and no one is homeless,” he said.

Voters go to the polls tomorrow to elect 54 councillors from across the city for the next four years.

People will be required to show a form of photo ID when visiting polling stations in order to cast their vote.

Accepted forms of ID include a passport, a provisional or full driving licence, a Blue Badge and an older person’s bus pass. Expired forms of ID are also accepted.