Two more Labour candidates have announced their intention to seek the party’s nomination in Brighton seats at the general election on Thursday 8 June.
Former charity chief executive Darryl Telles and housing campaigner Daniel Harris hope to stand in Brighton Pavilion and Brighton Kemptown respectively.
Mr Telles, 53, of Norfolk Square, Brighton, worked in local government for 30 years before taking voluntary severance two years ago.
He said that he specifically wanted to stand in Brighton Pavilion because he was keen to oust the Greens.
Mr Telles said: “We need a robust and challenging campaign fought against the area having a celebrity as MP.
“We need to challenge the poor record of the Greens when they failed the residents of Brighton and we need not a lone voice but someone at the heart of Westminster.”
Until recently Mr Telles was the chairman of his local branch in Hove and is a supporter of the Hope not Hate campaign.
He said: “As a black, gay activist I think we need to reinforce the message of diversity by selecting candidates that reflect the make-up of our city.”
Currently unemployed, Mr Telles was the chief executive of the Trust for Developing Communities, a local charity.
He has also appeared on the Brighton-based television channel Latest TV, campaigning against homophobia in football. The campaign had, he said, taken him to the corridors of FIFA.
He believes that his wide-ranging experience and expertise in the equalities field will make him a credible candidate if selected.
Housing campaigner Daniel Harris took to Facebook to announce his intention to seek the party’s nomination in Brighton Kemptown.
Mr Harris said: “So I want to announce after almost being put off standing, I will be standing for selection as MP for Kemptown for my beloved party Labour, fully supporting the man who inspired me to be a campaigner and others … Jeremy Corbyn.
“I was told I have no chance. However, Christine Shawcroft and others including Jeremy’s office, disagree.
“Labour are encouraging working class candidates from minority groups. They want real people – not career politicians.
“As a care leaver, LGBT, mental disability and ex-council housed and been homeless, I embody minority and working class
“I was born in Moulsecoomb and raised in Whitehawk. It’s time our MP put our community first. I have seen areas like Whitehawk neglected for far too long.
“We need council homes and I am the best person to push for this. We need another secondary school since the closure of Stanley Deason (it will always be Stanley Deason to me).
“We need affordable rents and investment with more jobs for locals. I also want these arches sorted.
“No more politicians. We need real people with vision and heart. Let’s kick Kirby out of this place. He has done nothing for Whitehawk.
“I also voted for Brexit and am proud Jeremy Corbyn has ruled out a second referendum and supports Brexit.”
I have to say I agree with most of what Daniel Harris says an I may well vote for him, however I am perplexed as to how many candidates we can have from minority groups who complain that the current crop are not representative? Surely the point of being in a minority of any kind is that you are just that – if every prospective MP, councillor etc is from a minority group then they could equally be accused of not being representative of their constituents. It seems to be a competition at the moment as to how many minority boxes a prospective candidate can tick – I just want a good, honest, informed and competent representative, what colour you are, who you sleep with and what health problems you have should not be my (or anybody else’s) concern – it is divisive.
Thanks for your comment. There are currently no Black or Asian MPs from the LGBT community and I think its important therefore that if I am selected I state very clearly my background so that others are encouraged to be out. Saying that you’re perfectly correct that people should vote for the best candidate whatever their background and if selected I will campaign on that basis. If elected an MP should serve all the constituents, regardless of who they voted for.
Mr Tellles – are you bonkers? Labour standing in Pavilion may oust a very popular constituency MP, but only by splitting the anti Tory vote and increasing the Tory majority in Parliament. The Labour Party really needs to understand the need for tactics and cooperation between anti Tory parties in this election to stop the onslaught of hard Brexit, increasing pressure on the vulnerable and poor, and yet more breaks for those of us who are already well off. Labour should be thinking short term, in cooperating to at least reduce a Tory majority. At the moment, by refusing to get on board to beat the Tories wherever possible, they are ensuring more time out in the wilderness
Chris thanks for your comments. I am not bonkers. As you will see from the 2015 result Labour was second so Pavilion is a two horse race. Therefore I dont believe that Labour voters should be treated with such contempt. They have the right to be able to vote for the party’s candidate whoever that maybe.
I would never vote labour in normal circumstances but we have to stop the tories. In Brighton Kemptown voting lib dem/green again will let the tories in:
The Conservative Party Candidate 41% Elected
Labour Party 39%
Green Party 7%
Liberal Democrats 3%
Hove 2015 election results
Labour Party 42% Elected
Conservative Party 40% Not elected
Green Party 3569 7% Not elected
voting green may let tories in
whereas voting labour (see 2015 results) in Pavilion might get you the tories but is also probably a wasted vote.
Green Party 42% Elected
Labour Party 27%
Conservative Party 23%
I wan’t the Tories out. I’m a Labour party member and a Corbyn supporter so naturally want to vote for them, but also don’t want to waste my vote. I feel tactical voting might be the best option in my area of Brighton Kemptown currently held by the Conservative Simon Kirby. Any advice would be appreciated. Gut instinct tells me to simply vote for the party I want in so I’ll most likely do that unless I hear any compelling evidence for a tactical vote.
Labour were only 500 votes behind in Kemptown last time – Greens a distant third.
The Tories can be kicked out in Kemptown, it just needs people to get behind the Labour candidate. Same needs to be done in Hove, where Labour can keep the Tories from winning there too. It is so close in both!
It would be a huge and embarrassing situation for the pro-Brexit May if they were to lose Kemptown and not win Hove. Let’s wipe out the Tories in Brighton and Hove!
In Pavilion, only Greens or Labour can win. It’s extremely unlikely for Tories to make enough ground to win.
Starting a sentence with ‘As a black, gay activist’. Why do I need to know these details, could be a Martian for all I care, this is Brighton after all. The question is are you are going to be a good MP, if so why and what are your policy’s?
As for Harris, starting with banging on about how much you love Corbin, stop preaching to the converted, most swing voters don’t like Corbin.
Harris for Kemptown labour, he doesn’t lay out many views, apart from Brexit and ‘sorting’ the arches. And no experience in Gov or local politics – That doesn’t gain my vote sorry!! But who can offer a decent alternative?