Blur drummer hopes to become Sussex constituency's first Labour MP

The musician, 60, is one of the founding members of the Britpop band and hopes to be the latest celebrity to win a seat at Westminster.

He is standing for Mid Sussex, a seat which covers the Burgess Hill, Haywards Heath, Hassocks and Hurstpierpoint areas.

"Pretty much every door I've knocked, the first thing people have talked about is housing and it's the issue I'm standing on," Dave said.

"The issue here isn't primarily a lack of housing - even affordable housing isn't the primary issue.

Dave Rowntree (Image: Sussex News and Pictures)"The issue is throwing up estates and houses left, right and centre without building the stuff necessary to make a community out of those houses.

"That's my thing, building communities - not just houses. The communities bit is the hard bit.

"It involves creativity and vision and bear daring and taking risks and it's not being done here.

"I've not seen Nimbyism, everybody knows their children and grandchildren need somewhere to live, preferably affordable.

"Whether all of the places that are being chosen are the right places is questionable.

"You need to have the right houses in the right places.

"Hassocks and Hurst joining up with Burgess Hill.

"If we don't plan it, we'll end up with a third town in Mid Sussex by default.

"Why should developers get to take the profit and everybody else pay the cost?

"Keir Starmer is committed to rebuilding the planning system from the ground up," Dave said.

The future of Burgess Hill town centre is one area where Dave thinks his background in local government could help make progress.

"It's the running sore in the middle of Burgess Hill," he said.

"It's a problem with the lease and it's the kind of thing that is solvable, if you take a pragmatic approach.

"Pragmatism is my thing.

"I've been a local councillor, I know it's stupid to stand at the sidelines and wag your finger and tell people they are doing it wrong.

"It's a waste of time and you are the one who doesn't get anything done.

"My thing is bringing people together and achieving something.

"That's what needs to happen in Burgess Hill.

"The lease and planning permission are not fit for purpose anymore," he said.

Dave says he will keep going even if he doesn't make it to parliament again this time.

It is his second time standing as a Labour candidate at a general election, after running against then-Conservative MP Mark Field in the constituency of Cities of London and Westminster.

"I've fought many an election before for nearly 15 years," he said.

"I stood for parliament in 2010 under Gordon Brown. I've been a local councillor, I've organised, I've been a candidate in many elections.

"I've still got a day job, I just shan't be giving it up".