An MP candidate took a shot at outgoing MP Caroline Lucas as he called for voters concerned about green policies to back Labour.
Tom Gray suggested the long-standing Brighton Pavilion Green MP had never "stopped the Tories", adding that voters in July wanted to vote for someone who was going to “deliver this, not talk about it”.
The former Gomez star is hoping to become the constituency's new MP. He was backed by Green industrialist Dale Vince who visited Brighton on Friday and called for Green voters to back Labour to ensure action on climate change.
Mr Vince, the Ecotricity founder and a green industrialist, told The Argus: “As a country we don’t have the time mess about, we need to get started and the opportunity now is massive.
“This is probably the most vital opportunity we have to deliver a green government.”
Mr Gray said that Labour needs to win this election and the next to fully deliver their green agenda.
He added: "The Greens' pitch to the city is that they will somehow hold us [Labour] accountable. I beg the question when did Caroline Lucas (or in fact the entire opposition), ever stop the Tories? It didn't happen.
“Caroline has been a brilliant constituent MP but the truth is the first climate change legislation was brought by a Labour back-bencher four years before Caroline was ever in Parliament.
"The Greens' record in the city is very, very poor. We need serious people delivering now.
"The people of Brighton want someone who is going to deliver this [green policies], not talk about it."
Green candidate Sian Berry hit back at Mr Gray’s comments, adding that Caroline Lucas is “widely recognised as having had a huge impact on Parliament while representing our city’s unique inclusive and green values".
She added: “As George Monbiot has said, in places like Brighton, a Green vote is ‘the most effective way to evict the Tories’.
“Alongside youth climate campaign Green New Deal Rising, many thousands of people across the city are also loudly calling for people to back me to continue Caroline’s excellent legacy.”
Voters in Brighton and across the country go to the polls on July 4.
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