Brighton MP Des Turner has warned John Prescott's ruling on the future of the Albion could be a matter of political life and death.

If the Deputy Prime Minister rejects Albion's plans for a 22,000-seat community stadium near Falmer station, Mr Turner, MP for Kemptown, believes it could swing the balance away from him and Labour colleagues in a close election fight.

All three Labour MPs in Brighton and Hove were elected for the first time in 1997 and successfully defended the former Conservative strongholds three years ago.

Mr Turner's seat is a key Tory target with a majority of only 4,922.

David Lepper will defend a majority of 9,643 in Brighton Pavilion while Defence minister Ivor Caplin's majority in Hove is 3,171.

Mr Caplin sensationally captured Hove with a 16 per cent swing in the 1997 Labour landslide but strong local opposition to the Iraq war means he already faces a tough fight to ward off the Tories next time.

Mr Turner said: "I don't think it would be helpful if the stadium was to be turned down. If it was a tight contest, it could swing the difference against us.

"There's obviously a large number of people who feel strongly about it and they will be very upset."

More than two-thirds of voters backed a stadium at Falmer in a city-wide referendum and 61,000 signed a petition in favour of the plans.

Although the petition included people from every postal area in Great Britain, emphasising the national significance of the club, feeling is running particularly high in Brighton and Hove.

The city council's planning committee voted 11-1 in favour of the stadium, which supporters say will regenerate one of the poorest council wards in the South-East.

But after a public inquiry into the Local Plan, inspector Charles Hoile recommended the Falmer site should not be allocated for a stadium. His findings have shocked Albion directors who believe they have a solid case and claim he disregarded crucial information.

The three Brighton and Hove MPs, along with Michael Foster (Hastings and Rye, Labour majority 4,308) and Laura Moffatt (Crawley, Labour majority 6,770) are urging Mr Prescott to support the stadium scheme, which has a very heavy emphasis on public transport.

They said in a letter to him: "It is indisputable a large community stadium would be a real boost to the economy in Sussex and would continue to be a focus for regeneration.

"It is a fact the hotel and restaurant business is a key sector in each of our constituencies and therefore it is important these jobs are supported by other leisure activities. This stadium proposal would create a superb new leisure facility, without comparison in the region, able to host cultural events and attract new visitors.

"The success of this application is not just about football, although Brighton and Hove Albion FC play an important part in our local communities. The success of this planning application is, we believe, crucial to the future development of economy and the culture and leisure of this area.

"We, therefore, have no hesitation in commending this proposal to you and hope the application will receive your support when you determine the final decision in the near future."

Mr Lepper said: "I hope the people will recognise the three MPs for Brighton and Hove have consistently been doing all they can to get this stadium. I'm reasonably confident John Prescott will say yes, but this is a very important issue."