Teenage student to stand for Tories in Brighton by-election

The Conservatives have chosen an 18-year-old student to contest the East Brighton by-election.

Joe Miller, who has lived in Brighton all his life, will try to win the vacant seat on Brighton and Hove City Council.

The by-election is on Thursday 18 October and is being held after Labour councillor Craig Turton stood down because of ill health. He resigned last week.

Mr Miller said: “I am delighted to have been selected to stand for the Conservative Party in the upcoming by-election in an area I know and love so much.

“I would be a fresh voice on the council and would speak up for young people across the city who are too often ignored.”

Simon Kirby, the Conservative MP for Brighton Kemptown said: “Joe would make an excellent councillor and be a real breath of fresh air.

“He is young but he is very capable with strong links to the area.

“The coalition government in Westminster is taking the tough decisions needed to get the country back on its feet after years of neglect under Labour, who left us with crippling debts, and locally Conservatives are standing up for the people of Brighton.

“I look forward to hitting the streets with Joe in the coming weeks, talking to the residents of East Brighton.”

Councillor Geoffrey Theobald, leader of the opposition Conservative group on the council, said: “It is unfortunate that the by-election could not have been called to coincide with the police and crime commissioner elections which are taking place a matter of weeks afterwards, which would have saved £15,000 of council taxpayers’ money.

“However, we are where we are and we will put everything into this election as the Conservatives are the only viable alternative in the city to the Green administration.

“I believe Joe would be an excellent addition to our team.”

The Kemp Town Conservative Association said that Mr Miller was a lifelong resident of Brighton “with three generations of his family growing up in and around Whitehawk”.

The association added: “Joe was recently recognised for his voluntary work with organisations like St Dunstan’s who help blind veterans.”

Nominations to stand in the by-election close at noon next Friday (21 September) and voters who are not already in the electoral roll have until Wednesday 3 October to register.