We have nothing but praise for good environmental policy and to prove this Shadow environment minister Huw Irranca-Davies was in town last night for the discussion and share launch of the OVESCO and Harveys solar power station. An innovative idea that has our support.

But the Greens new website, (opened I expect after they realised that the last one with moonfruit in the title, did them few favours) clearly represents their concerns that they are not doing as well as they expected.    The party that appeared to claim because they had previously been second in 2007, that they should now be allowed to be first, is realising arrogance does not sit well with Lewes voters.

Their website is filled with negative articles criticising Labour, or ones showing how they were second in 1997 or in a byelection.  Unfortunately they have not been able to put out much literature and we can only assume that all this Green vitriol coming Labours way must mean our campaigns which have appealed to the voters across Lewes have not just surprised them but shown that their support is not so strong.  This we suppose,  must have rattled rattled them.

Time moves on, support for parties, ebbs and flows, todays news about NHS waiting lists getting longer again makes people realise the good Labour has done, the investment Labour made and used to make a difference.  Locally people are realising we need more councillors with key skills they can bring to the council,  with principles that put residents at the heart of decision making but also independent thinking.  Only one party has continually proposed it can offer these things – Labour.

Then the question has to be, just who are The Greens, what do they really stand for?  Like the Lib-dems they can make all sorts of promises and pledges whilst they are still a minor party, but given power what puritanical surprises do they have up their sleeve?

The Lib-dems are still claiming if you don’t vote for them we will get the Tories, but we already have that Lib-dems and Tories in national government and the vast majority of district councillors are also Lib-dem and Tory.  Its time to break up the cozy club and vote for a new approach to local government, one that gives Lewes a stronger voice.

We hope you have the recent edition of the challenger, delivered by our campaigners across the whole of  Lewes, so you can make informed choices on who to vote for.

On May 5th we would encourage you to vote Labour, of course, but most importantly we want to see local democracy work and more people than ever before need to realise the importance of these and every election and go out and vote.

Lewes Labour candidates can be found here >>

Joe Young a self-employed Artist and Composer, this drew him to Lewes. and he has been actively involved in local arts projects since moving here, and helped to make a large-scale community dance project in commemoration of Thomas Paine “Shoe Nail Dance”, Joe is also involved at Lewes Priory School producing and leading a series of sound art and field recording workshops on the Heart of Reeds.

Joe says: I am a passionate environmental campaigner, and a former Green Party representative at national level. However as a life-long trade unionist (Musicians Union) I was eventually drawn towards joining the Labour Party in the 1990’s and have been a passionate supporter of Labour ever since. I am currently a member of the AIR Council, the national representative body for UK visual artists, and campaign for them on a number of issues relating to the cultural sector. I have two sons who both attended Priory School.

I have tried, on a personal level, to give the Coalition Government a chance to explain and justify the public spending cuts, as that is the policy of the parties and would appear to be what the country voted for. But I find it difficult to see either the wisdom or the necessity for the way in which the cuts are being implemented now – they are too far and too fast.

For ordinary people, it is difficult to escape the impression that we are being made to pay twice. Once for bailing the banks out in the first place, and again now in the form of increased taxes (VAT) and savage cuts to public institutions and vital services such as the NHS and Higher Education.

It seems immoral that banks can continue to pay bonuses to their highest earners, whilst taxpayers sit by and watch school and hospital building programmes closed down, job opportunities disappear and local government services thrown into disarray. The Liberal Democrats locally have betrayed the very people who voted them into Government and deserve to be given a reminder that their votes cannot be taken for granted. Lewes deserves Labour representation at Town, and District  levels to oppose the cuts and to fight for a viable alternative.

Joseph Young is is standing for Lewes Castle ward in Lewes District and Lewes Town Council

Vote for Joe and all the Labour team on May 5th

Ever wondered why you have to try and find your local councillor, or why they are so invisible, why they don’t represent you but their own pet projects and interests.  Local

councillors whether for the Town, District or County are elected to represent local residents.

The Lib-Dems, Greens and Tories take your vote for granted and then forget all about you. If it wasn’t for websites like “write to them” some would be almost impossible to contact.

To highlight this and the complete lack of councillor surgeries or councillor drop ins…

Lewes Labour has an ‘Open House’ Surgery

every Saturday from 10.30am til 12-midday

at 3, North Street, Lewes, BN7 2PA.

Just drop in and say hello, or for coffee and a chat and you will receive a warm welcome. Or if you need support or want to come and tell us how the Lib-Dem Tory Cuts are worrying or hurting you, our members will do their best to help.

I have always been a supporter of the arts and leisure.  I feel FairTrade is essential and we need a Fairer Lewes with a better environment, but I had hoped that my local Green councillors would have done more.  

They complain about the Lib-Dem domination of the processes in the Town council, but what are they attempting to do about it?  They could have been challenging the Lib-Dems at every opportunity, they could have been campaigning for a better environment, by putting pressure on the District and County Council to repair cracked pavements, empty litter bins and stop the post code lottery of recycling facilities. 

However, the local Green Party tell us they have been enjoying looking at Baxter prints for an exhibition for an exhibition and been impressed by the Railway Land.   

I beleive that we deserve representatives who put basic services first, stand up to those who support the anachronistic way Lewes is run and who are willing to campaign for our everyday environment.  Then again, I am not a member of the Greens.