Easy 10
Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Here's the full article...and its worried me a bit.
We Could Lose Seats Over Stadium Decision
An MP fears he and Labour Party colleagues could lose their seats if Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott sounds the death knell for the Albion. Brighton Kemptown MP Des Turner believes the prospects for Labour's local MPs will be almost as bleak as the football club's chances of survival if Mr Prescott rejects Albion's plans for a 22,000-seat community stadium near Falmer station. All three Labour MPs in Brighton & Hove were elected for the first time in 1997 and successfully defended the former Conservative strongholds three years ago. Dr 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 only 3,171.
Dr Turner said, "I don't think it would be helpful to any of us 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 if it looks under threat." More than two-thirds of voters backed a stadium at Falmer in a city-wide referendum and 61,000 signed a petition in favour. 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 & Hove. The city council's planning committee voted 11-1 in favour of the stadium, which would regenerate one of the poorest council wards in the South East, but public inquiries were held last year into the city's Local Plan and the planning application.
Local Plan inspector Charles Hoile is recommending the Falmer site, next to a station and the A27, 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 & Hove MPs plus Michael Foster (Hastings & 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 the Deputy Prime Minister, 'It is indisputable that 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 that the hotel and restaurant business is a key sector in each of our constituencies, and therefore it is important that 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 & 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 that 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 that the three MPs for Brighton & Hove have consistently been doing all that they can to get this stadium. I'm reasonably confident that John Prescott will say 'yes', but this is a very important issue."
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I am a bit surprised that they've actually come out and said this publically. It does leave them open to accusations of backing the plans just for their own political means, instead of basing their opinions purely on the merits of the application. OK, we all know that this is how politicians work, but to see them actually come out with it did cause my eyebrows to climb up my forehead just a little bit. We know the NIMBYS will jump all over anything to get the plans thrown out...does this not give them more ammo ?
Or am I just being paranoid ?
We Could Lose Seats Over Stadium Decision
An MP fears he and Labour Party colleagues could lose their seats if Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott sounds the death knell for the Albion. Brighton Kemptown MP Des Turner believes the prospects for Labour's local MPs will be almost as bleak as the football club's chances of survival if Mr Prescott rejects Albion's plans for a 22,000-seat community stadium near Falmer station. All three Labour MPs in Brighton & Hove were elected for the first time in 1997 and successfully defended the former Conservative strongholds three years ago. Dr 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 only 3,171.
Dr Turner said, "I don't think it would be helpful to any of us 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 if it looks under threat." More than two-thirds of voters backed a stadium at Falmer in a city-wide referendum and 61,000 signed a petition in favour. 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 & Hove. The city council's planning committee voted 11-1 in favour of the stadium, which would regenerate one of the poorest council wards in the South East, but public inquiries were held last year into the city's Local Plan and the planning application.
Local Plan inspector Charles Hoile is recommending the Falmer site, next to a station and the A27, 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 & Hove MPs plus Michael Foster (Hastings & 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 the Deputy Prime Minister, 'It is indisputable that 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 that the hotel and restaurant business is a key sector in each of our constituencies, and therefore it is important that 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 & 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 that 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 that the three MPs for Brighton & Hove have consistently been doing all that they can to get this stadium. I'm reasonably confident that John Prescott will say 'yes', but this is a very important issue."
___________________________________________________
I am a bit surprised that they've actually come out and said this publically. It does leave them open to accusations of backing the plans just for their own political means, instead of basing their opinions purely on the merits of the application. OK, we all know that this is how politicians work, but to see them actually come out with it did cause my eyebrows to climb up my forehead just a little bit. We know the NIMBYS will jump all over anything to get the plans thrown out...does this not give them more ammo ?
Or am I just being paranoid ?
