The Spanish protest camp at the Old Steine is to be raised in the House of Commons next week.
It will be discussed along with unauthorised traveller sites and “party” houses in a debate in Westminster Hall on Wednesday (15 June).
Simon Kirby, the Conservative MP for Brighton Kemptown, said that he had secured the 30-minute debate to raise issues that were angering his consituents.
A government minister will respond to the points raised by Mr Kirby in the debate.
He said: “I am pleased to be able to raise these issues in the House on Wednesday.
“My constituents are justifiably angry that some people seem able, on a whim, to set up unauthorised encampments, which then lead to problems constituents are then asked to pay to clear up.
“It is time for a change in our approach to unauthorised encampments and I shall be pressing the minister on this on Wednesday.”
Earlier this week he wrote to Brighton and Hove City Council and Sussex Police urging them to enforce local bylaws.
Yesterday Green councillor Ben Duncan said that the Spanish protesters would leave the Old Steine on Sunday (12 June).
Caroline Lucas, the Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, recently proposed a motion in Parliament calling for a law to prevent travellers from being moved on unless there was an official site available for them.
Woollard’s Field in Falmer, Wild Park in Moulsecoomb and East Brighton Park are three of the sites occupied by travellers in the past six weeks in Brighton and Hove.
I wonder if Mr. Kirby has the figures to back up his claims. Year on year there will be figures for the numbers of travellers coming to Brighton & Hove and their lengths of stay.
i recall brighton festival(as a booze tent) and a Muslim Society (for Ramadan) used that site on several occasions: the only difference is the Spanish protesters did not asked first, failed to give a date when they would leave and did not pay any rent…….
perhaps the Spanish protesters could use the money they saved not paying tent pitch fees to pay for clean-up…or clean-up after properly….