Some 16,000 of the very poorest families in the city will be significantly worse off as a result of a proposal that Labour councillors put to the council last week, and which was passed with most Conservative councillors also voting for it.

Of course, the Green Party is clear that the major responsibility for the dreadful cuts to local council services and council tax support lies with the Coalition Government.

Imagine how you would manage if your budget was cut by 40% (as has happened to councils). But for Labour councillors to propose to load those cuts particularly on to the poorer families in the city beggars belief.

It was even too much for some Tory councillors last week who abstained on the proposal.

In the Brighton Kemptown constituency where I am standing for parliament, more than 5,000 poor families in Queens Park, East Brighton, Mousecoomb and other wards, will suffer as a result of this Labour “poor tax”.

Do the Labour and Conservative parliamentary candidates for Kemptown, support it? I think voters have a right to know.

Davy Jones, Green Party parliamentary candidate for Brighton Kemptown, Princes Road, Brighton