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Prescott In Brighton Controversy
Sat 31 Dec, 4:09 PM
There were calls for Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott to be removed from the controversial planning case on Brighton's proposed new stadium after it emerged that he accepted hospitality from the club's board.
Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker has written to Prime Minister Tony Blair urging him to strip Prescott of his decision-making powers in the case.
He said it was "outrageous" that the DPM had attended an Albion match earlier this month, watching his team Hull lose 2-1 before dining in the boardroom with chairman Dick Knight and directors of both clubs.
Mr Prescott took the unusual step of overruling the advice of two planning inspectors to grant planning permission on October 27 for a new 22,000-seater home for Albion in the village of Falmer, in the Sussex Downs area of outstanding natural beauty.
Lewes District Council has appealed against the decision in the High Court, serving papers on December 8 to argue that the DPM had made a number of errors in planning law.
If the appeal is successful, the case will be referred back to Prescott for reconsideration, in his role as the final arbiter in planning disputes.
It was on December 16 - eight days after the appeal was lodged - that Mr Prescott attended the Brighton v Hull match at the Withdean Stadium, Albion's temporary home since their former Goldstone Ground home in Hove was sold.
Following the game, he received a standing ovation from fans and posed for photos with campaigners for the move to Falmer.
Mr Baker, in whose Lewes constituency the proposed stadium site is located, told the Daily Telegraph: "The whole thing is outrageous. I have written to the Prime Minister demanding that Mr Prescott be removed from the case and that he plays no part in it.
"If the council succeeds in court, it should be another minister that considers the case, because he has compromised his position."
A spokesman for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister stressed that Mr Prescott had gone to the December 16 match purely in order to watch his home team play, and had not gone to the site of the new stadium during his visit.
The spokesman said in a statement: "The only time the Deputy Prime Minister visited the ground was with both sets of directors.
"His responsibility ended when he made his decision. His attendance to watch his team playing will not affect that decision if the court refers it back to him. Our legal advice is that this does not preclude his taking the decision in future."
More news from SportingLife.com
Sat 31 Dec, 4:09 PM
There were calls for Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott to be removed from the controversial planning case on Brighton's proposed new stadium after it emerged that he accepted hospitality from the club's board.
Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker has written to Prime Minister Tony Blair urging him to strip Prescott of his decision-making powers in the case.
He said it was "outrageous" that the DPM had attended an Albion match earlier this month, watching his team Hull lose 2-1 before dining in the boardroom with chairman Dick Knight and directors of both clubs.
Mr Prescott took the unusual step of overruling the advice of two planning inspectors to grant planning permission on October 27 for a new 22,000-seater home for Albion in the village of Falmer, in the Sussex Downs area of outstanding natural beauty.
Lewes District Council has appealed against the decision in the High Court, serving papers on December 8 to argue that the DPM had made a number of errors in planning law.
If the appeal is successful, the case will be referred back to Prescott for reconsideration, in his role as the final arbiter in planning disputes.
It was on December 16 - eight days after the appeal was lodged - that Mr Prescott attended the Brighton v Hull match at the Withdean Stadium, Albion's temporary home since their former Goldstone Ground home in Hove was sold.
Following the game, he received a standing ovation from fans and posed for photos with campaigners for the move to Falmer.
Mr Baker, in whose Lewes constituency the proposed stadium site is located, told the Daily Telegraph: "The whole thing is outrageous. I have written to the Prime Minister demanding that Mr Prescott be removed from the case and that he plays no part in it.
"If the council succeeds in court, it should be another minister that considers the case, because he has compromised his position."
A spokesman for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister stressed that Mr Prescott had gone to the December 16 match purely in order to watch his home team play, and had not gone to the site of the new stadium during his visit.
The spokesman said in a statement: "The only time the Deputy Prime Minister visited the ground was with both sets of directors.
"His responsibility ended when he made his decision. His attendance to watch his team playing will not affect that decision if the court refers it back to him. Our legal advice is that this does not preclude his taking the decision in future."
More news from SportingLife.com