Affordable housing rubbished as well as stadium: Prescott, sort it or it's war

[attila]

Not only has the Planning Inspector rejected our stadium, he has also rubbished the need for affordable local housing, a massive local issue which affects thousands of people. It is obvious that this Planning Inspector doesn't live in the same world as we do.

Spelt out loud and clear to Prescott: reject the inspector's findings and support the local plan or you go against basic principles of social justice, the very thing the Labour Party (ha!) was founded on.

If you do that, Brighton and Hove Albion fans will organise our own political party (name and candidates to be decided by us all democratically!) on behalf of ALL the people - not just Albion fans, everyone - who feels betrayed by and alienated from the political process - that is all main parties, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Tory - and we will stand candidates in Brighton and Hove against the mainstream parties at the General Election to give local people the opportunity to express how we all feel.

GOT THAT, PRESCOTT?

 

[Gwylan]

Not only has the Planning Inspector rejected our stadium, he has also rubbished the need for affordable local housing, a massive local issue which affects thousands of people. It is obvious that this Planning Inspector doesn't live in the same world as we do.

Spelt out loud and clear to Prescott: reject the inspector's findings and support the local plan or you go against basic principles of social justice, the very thing the Labour Party (ha!) was founded on.

If you do that, Brighton and Hove Albion fans will organise our own political party (name and candidates to be decided by us all democratically!) on behalf of ALL the people - not just Albion fans, everyone - who feels betrayed by and alienated from the political process - that is all main parties, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Tory - and we will stand candidates in Brighton and Hove against the mainstream parties at the General Election to give local people the opportunity to express how we all feel.

GOT THAT, PRESCOTT?

Attila's right. This is the best argument of all, all politicians hate losing votes and if Prescott rules against the club and the affordable housing it could play havoc with Labour's vote in Brighton.

I've already suggested a political party on another thread - I think we need to move on with this as quickly as possible,

 

[JJ McClure]

Dear JP

Should you rule against the stadium at Falmer, It will cost Labour votes. FACT.

 

[Ernest]

It won't cost them votes it will cost them MP's as Caplin is unpopular enough with the voters of Hove without this.

 

[Sorrel]

I'm going to go on about the housing in my letter. I got married on the the 1st of May 1997, and after a reception above a pub (we had no money) we went into Brighton to vote Labour, dressed in our wedding gear.

I remember feeling happy that we'd finally get a government that would care about the concerns of people like us, rather than just those with a fortune or NIMBYs.

I'm just trying to sort out how I feel into a decent letter. Let's hope we can persuade the government to do the decent thing to people who make up the majority of its supporters (but not, of course, its donators).

 

[triptolemus]

seagulls party

I remember the Seagulls Party was mooted in 1997, and touted in Argus Letters in November 1997 under the headline "Election Plan could save the Seagulls", around the time of Bassam's peerage. This threat to Labour supremacy in the town really did have an effect in securing Withdean temporarily and bringing the team back from Gillingham. Before that the Labour council had been totally supine vis-a-vis the departure of the team from the town. Afterwards, you couldn't open a local paper without seeing a Labour councillor waving a blue and white scarf.

So I think Attilla's idea is sound. It could easily split the Labour vote and they will know that and put pressure on Prescott now. Labour can ill-afford to have two key marginals wobbling in Brighton, especially when they have been so discredited over the war.