A GREEN councillor has declared she will “stir things up” and “cause havoc” for Brighton and Hove’s new Labour-run council.

The remarks came in response to an email from the Green’s former campaign director, Paul Steedman, who suggested “guerrilla tactics” were needed following the party’s defeat to at the local council elections last week.

Coun Alex Phillips responded by saying she was “looking forward to campaigning and stirring things up for Labour as much as possible”.

She added: “The Argus called it ‘causing havoc.’ Count me in.”

It is thought the 30-year-old wife of Green party councillor Tom Druitt was responding to Tim Ridgway’s column which appeared in this newspaper on Monday.

Mr Ridgway commented: “Gone are the more moderate types such as Jason Kitcat, Bill Randall and Geoffrey Bowden.

“In its place is a more left-leaning core, led by Phelim MacCafferty and Alex Phillips.

“Freed from the shackles of being power, they can now cause havoc.”

The email, which was sent to all Green Party members, was prompted by Labour’s claim they would make significant changes to the £18 million regeneration of Brighton’s Valley Gardens transport scheme.

Possible ideas included lining up skateboards along the edge of Valley Gardens to highlight how “Labour is already costing the city £14 million”.

The tone of the emails sparked fresh concern over whether the three parties that make up the council will act in the best interests of the city.

Yesterday council leader elect Warren Morgan said he hoped the email seen by The Argus was written hastily in the “heat of the moment after election defeat”.

He added: “I hope the messages do not reflect what I hope is a shared intention to work together positively for the good of the city.”

Coun Phillips told The Argus that her party, which has been plagued by in-fighting and leadership coups in recent years, had a “great record” of working and co-operating with councillors from other political groups.

She said: “When I talked about campaigning and stirring things up for Labour I was referring to the Valley Gardens project.

“The Green Party in Brighton is very proud of having won £14 million of external funding to create a new park for the city and its visitors.

“We will do everything we can to protect this achievement. Green councillors will do whatever we can to challenge any threat to the Valley Gardens project.

“The Green Party has a great record of working and co-operating with councillors from other political groups. We will continue to do this on an issue by issue basis in a way that represents the views of the people who voted for us and for the good of the city.”

Meanwhile, Green campaigner Mr Steedman admitted in the email that his party had “suffered a lot from simply trying to communicate via official press releases” in the last four years.

Green leader Phélim Mac Cafferty declined to comment further on the emails yesterday.

He said: “This was written in a private discussion group.”

CAMPAIGNER IS ONE OF THE YOUNGEST IN THE CITY

Alex Phillips was elected as city councillor for Brighton and Hove’s regency ward at last week’s local elections.
 At the age of 30 she is one of the youngest councillors in the city and, according to the Green Party website, is an “experienced campaigner, with a keen interest in equalities, trade and peace issues”.

She is also the wife of fellow Green councillor Tom Druitt. 
Coun Phillips was at the centre controversy last year when the Green Party was accused of proposing “unacceptable levels of gender discrimination against males” by its own party.

Concerns were raised after members voted to support an amendment by Coun Phillips that would change how the party selected candidates and discriminate in favour of women. 

Under the proposals, women would challenge at least two seats in a three candidate ward and one in a single seat ward. 

The result would have meant that at least 61% of Green Party candidates in Brighton and Hove’s 21 wards would be female while male candidates would make up no more than 39%. 

But the party’s regional council rejected the changes, claiming they went again the national constitution and founding beliefs of the Green Party. 
Outside politics, Coun Phillips has a degree in French Studies from the University of London Institute in Paris and puts her language skills to good use as a secondary school teacher of French and German.

Her Green Party website profile notes Coun Phillips was employed on the successful campaign to elect Caroline Lucas as the UK’s first Green MP in Brighton Pavilion in 2010.