Hove councillor Christopher Hawtree eyes a green House of Commons seat
Christopher Hawtree hopes to cause a political upset in Hove by toppling the sitting Tory MP at the next general election. Frank le Duc reports
In two years’ time Christopher Hawtree hopes to move from his seat on Britain’s first Green council to a seat on the green benches of the House of Commons. Although his selection as the party’s candidate for Hove appeared to have taken some by surprise, his political opponents should know better than to underestimate a rather singular campaigner.
He said that his interest in politics was galvanised during a long campaign to keep Hove Library open. It prompted 5,000 people to put posters in their windows – and children to go around and count them. His library campaign helped familiarise him with aspects of the council. At town hall meetings he questioned members and needled Councillor David Smith enough for the Conservative to say that in a different era he would have challenged him to a duel.
Mr Hawtree helped canvass for Caroline Lucas in Brighton Pavilion as victory led her to become the country’s first Green MP. He said that he was encouraged by doorstep conversations to see whether he could win a seat on Brighton and Hove City Council.
So instead of pistols at dawn he put himself forward for one of the two Tory-held seats in Central Hove. He topped the poll in May 2011 to unseat Councillor Jan Young, architect of the Conservatives’ final budget in Brighton and Hove. Among the defeated candidates was Celia Barlow who, until the previous May, had been the Labour MP for Hove.
The current incumbent, Mike Weatherley, would be wise to take note. His colleagues had dismissed Mr Hawtree as an eccentric and even questioned his mental health. Yet, despite an occasional prickliness, Mr Hawtree is mostly courteous, polite and even charming.
His old-fashioned manners, readiness to laugh and dress sense seem to chime with voters, many of whom are conservative with a small “c”. Perhaps they see him as a slightly blue Green. Perhaps this is what riles so many Tories.
His whimsical contributions in the council chamber often prompt groans from the Conservatives with a big “C”. Some of them roll their eyes at his literary digressions or witty asides as he cites the likes of Graham Greene – he edited the author’s letters – Oscar Wilde or Virginia Woolf. But his bon mots include dismissing initial plans for the old London Road Co-op building in Brighton as “boil in the bag architecture”. Since winning his seat he has become chairman of the council’s Planning Committee.
He believes that his experience as a freelance writer – his work has appeared in numerous newspapers and magazines – stood him in good stead for talking with many people on many subjects. But he also brings a touch of colour to the sometimes grey world of politics.
In the final weeks of the local elections he could be spotted wheeling around leaflets in the “Green machine” – an old trolley decorated with campaign colours and material. It was, he said, bought at a bargain price form one many shopkeepers he talks with on his regular walks around the area.
As well as walking the streets of Brighton and Hove, he also gets around by bike. But with the possibility of the former Labour council leader, Simon Burgess, said also to be keen on standing in Hove, neither Mr Hawtree nor Mr Weatherley will expect an easy ride.
Brighton & Hove City Council leader Jason Kitcat on youth employment
Brighton and Hove has seen an impressive reduction in the number of 16-18 year olds who are not in education, employment or training. On average over the last three months 6.7 per cent of young people have fallen into this category – the lowest proportion since records began in 2002.
Much of this is due to the work of the council’s Youth Employability Service (YES), which in just over a year has helped 463 young people find education, employment or training. Most young people are assigned a YES Adviser who helps them with CV writing, job search, application forms and interview skills. They can also support young people with advice, access to facilities, and help them apply for college, apprenticeships and other training opportunities.
The service is easy to contact – there’s a popular Facebook page, Youtube channel, a monthly bulletin, and a number of drop-in sessions across the city throughout the week. The team are also currently working with the young people’s Youth Employability Panel to develop a mobile phone app so that young people can keep in touch on the move.
Our approach has been used as a good example on a national level to show other councils how setting up a specialised local service is the best way to reduce the number of young people out of work, education or training.
The Youth Employability Service now plans to increase support to even more young people and is looking to work closely with the YMCA, housing associations, family services, and family nurses.
Young people are having a particularly hard time during this economic crisis, so it’s fantastic news that the figures for those in Brighton and Hove not in education, employment or training has dropped – and a tribute to the work of the Youth Employability team.
