A total of 100 MPs have now officially shown their support for a new community stadium at Falmer.

They have signed an Early Day Motion (EDM) urging Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott to approve Brighton and Hove Albion's plans for a 22,000-seat stadium near Falmer station.

Members of the Government are not allowed to sign these motions, but 77 Labour MPs have so far joined 17 Conservatives and six Liberal Democrats in an unusual display of cross-party unity.

The Falmer motion has been signed by well-known names including former Conservative ministers Stephen Dorrell, Michael Mates and Sir Brian Mawhinney.

Former Labour minister Tony Banks and Dennis Skinner have also signed up, while Liberal Democrat backers include Treasury spokesman Vincent Cable.

The 100th MP to sign was Labour's Robert Wareing, who represents the football hotbed of Liverpool West Derby.

Campaigners believe the support shown by MPs across England, Scotland and Wales helps demonstrate the national significance of saving the 103-year-old football club.

Falmer residents dispute this and say Albion could continue at Withdean Stadium, where the capacity is 7,000, despite racking up losses of more than £900,000 while playing in front of capacity crowds in the year to June 2003.

Brighton and Hove City Council's planning committee approved the community stadium.

But the final say rests with Mr Prescott following a public inquiry that ended in October last year.

More than 61,000 people signed a petition in favour of the stadium and 68 per cent backed the idea in a referendum across Brighton and Hove on local election day five years ago.

Monday May 10, 2004