Conservatives are the council’s largest party

You know what will happen!’ - you will know it never ends well.

We have seen the spectacle of MPs resigning from the Labour Party, citing anti-Semitic abuse and hijacking by the hard-left, and claiming that moderates will never again control the Labour Party.

We also learned what a hard-left Momentum-dominated Labour council would bring to Brighton and Hove, when some kind soul leaked their manifesto – called the “Many-Festo”. A Labour council would, it appears, include a selective ban on cars and abolish bailiffs, suggesting those who won’t pay their council tax would not have to. There are also rumours that a future Labour administration would see Government-busting council tax increases.

Conservative proposals for the recent council budget would have brought a reduction in bureaucracy and waste, allowing a cut back in Labour’s council tax rise, whilst maintaining, and in some areas increasing, spending on essential services. Digging deep into the accounts, we also found an additional £2.93m to spend on much needed investments in areas neglected by Labour: an extra £1.65m on improving our road system, a pilot project to allow non-destructive verge-parking, and an extra £1m to help increase recycling levels and deal with graffiti and fly-tipping. The Greens and Labour joined together to vote down our proposals. We still do not know why.

I welcomed Cllr Anne Meadows to the Conservatives after her resignation from Labour, which means the Conservatives are now the largest party on Brighton and Hove City Council and, following normal and agreed cross-party convention, should have become the administration of the city.

The Greens, however, voted against the Conservatives, preferring to keep Labour in power. The events described above means we have been warned - we can see it coming – I can hear you screaming – “a vote for Labour or the Greens will see the Jeremy Corbyn supporting hard-left Momentum Labour Party running the council after the elections”. It is only by supporting local Conservatives that this dreadful fate can be avoided. Come with us and together, believe in a better Brighton and Hove.

Cllr Tony Janio, leader of the Conservatives on Brighton and Hove City Council