The Green Party continues to try to hide behind processes and procedures in its efforts to derail the Albion bid for a new stadium.

The vote in the planning committee was clear enough - 11 to one in favour. The Greens then cried foul and said this was a stitch-up.

Last year, they were saying committees were the last word in local democracy as they argued against the elected-mayor system.

The Greens can't have it both ways. This is another example of their attempts to con the voting public.

The Greens, in their narrowly based campaign, claim to be the true supporters of the Albion in the club's efforts to secure a top-class community stadium yet they have put forward no realistic alternative to the Falmer site.

They appear interested only in sabotaging current proposals and criticising Brighton and Hove City Council for moving towards a mutually beneficial community partnership with the football club.

The stadium will provide a brilliant opportunity for the city and one we should all celebrate and share for the benefit of everyone.

The Green agenda is too important to be left to one political party, especially one showing increasingly how irresponsible it is on important citywide issues such as the future of the football club and its location.

In that context, it pleases me the club itself has designed a scheme that aims to ensure more than 70 per cent of fans will travel to the new ground by public transport and conforms to

the high environmental standards set for the development generally by the council.

In my view, more could be achieved for the environment of Falmer if only opponents thought more imaginatively.

Sadly, little was done to benefit the village when the A27 divided and damaged it more than 20 years ago. This time around, we should all seek to get it right.

-Lord Bassam, Albion fan and former council leader, Brighton