Brighton’s political heavyweights go head to head on TV

Two of Brighton’s leading political figures have gone head to head in a TV debate.

Jason Kitcat and Steve Bassam were brought together by Latest TV after their Twitter feud over the proposed council tax rise earlier this year.

Councillor Kitcat, the new leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, and Lord Bassam, a former long-serving Labour leader of the council, debated the first year of the Greens.

They were joined on The Vote Show by Councillor Mary Mears, who served as Conservative leader of Brighton and Hove for three years until the last local elections.

The three political heavyweights also discussed the impact of the proposed parliamentary boundary changes, parking charges and council support for the i360.

The Twitter feud between Councillor Kitcat and Lord Bassam started in December when the Greens published their budget proposals.

They wanted to put up council tax by 3.5 per cent. Labour and the Tories opposed the rise.

At a formal budget meeting in February the opposition parties outvoted the Greens. As a result council tax was frozen for the second year in a row.