Kemptown key in race for No.10

IN THE battle for Number 10, Labour and Conservatives both know that winning Brighton Kemptown is likely to be crucial.

Conservative candidate Simon Kirby likes to describe himself as a “hard-working MP” and local campaigners have praised the tireless support he has given them.

His successes from relentless badgering on the £486 million refurbishment of the Royal Sussex County Hospital and Saltdean Lido will be powerful cards he is sure to flourish over the coming weeks.

His party loyalty may cause him a few problems however, with opponents pointing to his voting record on Conservative reforms of the NHS.

His nearest challenger will be Labour’s Nancy Platts, who suffered an agonisingly close defeat to Caroline Lucas in Brighton Pavilion five years ago.

Can she shake off the gallant loser title more successfully than 2010 Kemptown candidate Simon Burgess?

A Labour candidate with strong union links, Ms Platts is a regular on the picket lines and at protest rallies for firefighters and other public sector workers.

Green candidate Davy Jones will find it difficult to make it a three-horse race in a constituency which has some really entrenched Conservative and Labour heartlands.

A likeable character, yoga teacher Mr Jones is certain to remain calm as the run-in to election day heats up.

Outside the main frontrunners, Brighton Kemptown residents will have a number of colourful characters vying for their vote, including Ukip’s Ian Buchanan who, as well as being East Sussex County councillor for Peacehaven and Telscombe Towns, is a mason and knight templar.

The Socialist Party of Great Britain candidate Jacqueline Shodeke could take away a few votes from left-leaning Green and Labour voters, while friends Joe Neilson and Matthew Taylor will be standing against each other as independents.

Introducing the main Brighton Kemptown candidates...

• Simon Kirby – Conservative

During the past five years as the MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, I have worked hard to be a strong voice for our area, securing a number of campaign successes, including £480 million for the revamp to the Royal Sussex County Hospital.

I have demonstrated that I am not someone who only comes around at election time and that I work hard all year round for local people. If I am re-elected, I will continue to be accessible to residents and be a real champion for Brighton in Parliament.

We have seen welcome improvement in the local economy with unemployment and youth unemployment falling massively since 2010.

We can’t afford to risk that all under Ed Miliband and Ed Balls.

Without a strong economy providing the jobs and growth, we need to support our NHS, our schools and our other public services.

That is why I have backed measures to get the deficit down, help more people into work and offer real opportunities for younger people through good quality apprenticeships.

• Nancy Platts – Labour

I live locally with my partner Steve and, as a keen runner, I will be taking part in the Brighton 10k on Sunday.

I have had varied working experience, including 12 years in the fire brigade and then with Breakthrough Breast Cancer, Diabetes UK and the Daycare Trust.

I campaigned successfully for a Sure Start children’s centre in every community and fought locally against fire service cuts in the city.

I have also stood up for local residents facing the closure of the Eaton Place GP surgery.

I’m not a professional politician but I’m passionate about tackling the problems facing everyday working people.

I hear from lots of people who worry about rising bills, low wages and zero-hours contracts.

Parents, in particular, are struggling to find affordable childcare so they can get back to work.

I’m proud that Labour will scrap exploitative zero-hours contracts and increase free childcare from 15 to 25 hours for working parents.

As the MP for Kemptown and Peacehaven, I’ll always do my best to fight for everyone here.

• Davy Jones – Green

I grew up in Saltdean within the Brighton Kemptown constituency.

My parents lived in Saltdean for 40 years and I went to school in Brighton, as did my daughters.

I am local and this area is my home.

I’ve never stood for public office before but I am an experienced campaigner.

I spent many years working in local government and then for the national Audit Commission, so I know about public services.

I have tremendous energy and passion for making the world a better place.

I want to protect the environment – locally, for example in the Deans, and globally, so the world is fit for our children and grandchildren to grow up in.

I oppose the terrible cuts to our public services and the creeping privatisation of the NHS.

Above all, I think we all know that “business as usual” politics is broken.

I represent something different from the mainstream – a new type of politics for the future.

• Paul Chandler – Liberal Democrat

I have lived in the Kemptown constituency for over ten years and, in that time, I have been an active member of this community.

I have explored the constituency on foot and on bike from the beaches of Peacehaven to the heights of Whitehawk. I have helped shape the plans for the new hospital that Brighton so badly needs and for the last three years I have given my time to the voluntary advice sector.

I have run several successful businesses including a pottery manufacturer, a typesetting company and, most recently, a travel company specialising in trips to Portugal.

I have over a decade’s worth of experience as a local councillor and helped deliver a much-needed swimming pool to my area. I feel I have the experience and the enthusiasm to fulfil the honour of being the MP for this part of Sussex that I love.

• 2010 Results

Conservative: Simon Kirby, 16,217 votes, 38.0%, +5.0%
Labour Co-op: Simon Burgess, 14,889, 34.9%, -5.0%
Liberal Democrats: Juliet Williams, 7,691, 5.5%, +1.5%
Green Party: Ben Duncan, 2,330, 5.5%, -1.5%
Ukip: James Chamberlain-Webber, 1,384, 3.2%, +1.3%   
TUSC: Dave S Hill, 194 0.5%

• Latest betting

Labour 4/6
Conservatives 5/4
Greens 33/1
Liberal Democrats 100/1
UKIP 100/1

Bookmakers are pretty certain this is going to be a very close race, with the tight margins between Labour and Conservative tightening further.

The performance of their party leaders in the run-in could be as big a factor in anything the candidates say or do themselves as the race appears to be too close to call at the moment.

Green candidate Davy Jones’ price has dropped in recent months but he remains a distant third.

• Wealden

In a similar situation to Bexhill and Battle, Wealden residents will get a new MP come May 8 but no one is doubting what colour rosette they will be wearing.

Outgoing MP and former minister Charles Hendry will be replaced as Conservative candidate by Nusrat Ghani – chosen ahead of 400 candidates – who, barring a miracle, will become the constituency’s MP.

Having worked for the BBC World Service in Burma, Russia and Afghanistan, the tranquil Sussex Weald should come as a welcome change.

Ukip could become the second party in the constituency with its odds shortening from 33/1 to 16/1 in the past few months.

Labour candidate Solomon Curtis is one of the youngest candidates in the country at just 18.

Solomon Curtis – Labour        
Nusrat Ghani – Conservative    
Giles Goodall – Lib Dems    
Peter Griffiths – Ukip        
Mark Smith – Green

• Bexhill and Battle

The loss of former government minister and dog-loving MP Greg Barker is not likely to weaken the blue hold on this constituency.

Residents almost had former Olympic rower James Cracknell on their ballot slip as the local Conservative candidate but, in the end, the local association chose local landowner and managing director Huw Merriman for their MP elect.

Leading animal rights campaigner Michelle Thew is representing Labour while broadcaster Jonathan Kent is standing for the Greens.

Geoffrey Bastin – Ukip                
Jonathan Kent – Green            
Huw Merriman – Conservative            
Rachel Sadler – Liberal Democrat            
Michelle Thew – Labour

• Hastings and Rye

Hastings and Rye is likely to be another Sussex seat that will indicate the mood of the country and possible make-up of the future government.

Conservative incumbent Amber Rudd is well-regarded among her own party for her financial brain honed by a career in the City. But will residents have forgiven her for describing the constituency as a magnet for the jobless and drug addicts?

She is in for a fierce fight with Labour rival Sarah Owen, a martial arts expert who has already shown off her moves in the boxing ring during the current campaign.

A home-grown candidate who will make much of Ms Rudd’s London roots, Mrs Owen has already received several high-profile party visitors as Labour desperately tries to regain a seat it lost by less than 2,000 in 2010.

David Lofts will be the only Sussex candidate, and one of only five nationally, to be standing for the George Galloway-fronted Respect party.

Ladbrokes has Labour as 4/9 favourites, followed by Conservatives at 2/1 and Ukip as outside challengers at 16/1

Jake Bowers – Green                
David Lofts – Respect                
Andrew Michael – Ukip                
Sarah Owen – Labour                
Nick Perry – Liberal Democrat            
Amber Rudd – Conservative