Former Brighton council chief’s wife to stand for Labour

Labour has picked Maggie Barradell, the wife of former Brighton and Hove City Council chief executive John Barradell, as a candidate in the next local elections.

Mrs Barradell has been selected for the safe seat of East Brighton along with the council’s opposition Labour group leader Warren Morgan and former leader Gill Mitchell.

Councillor Chaun Wilson, who currently represents the ward, will be standing down for family reasons.

Meanwhile, the Brighton and Hove Independent reported today (Friday 24 January) that Leigh Farrow, a Labour councillor in Moulsecoomb and Bevendean, is not on the party’s shortlist of possible candidates.

But the free weekly newspaper said that Councillor Farrow was appealing against his omission from the shortlist which has yet to be finalised.

Other candidates to have been chosen are the long-serving Councillor Les Hamilton in South Portslade along with Councillor Alan Robins.

In North Portslade, Councillor Bob Carden is to retire at the elections next year. Councillor Penny Gilbey has been selected to stand again along with Peter Atkinson.

In Hollingdean and Stanmer the candidates are Tracey Hill, Caroline Penn and Michael Inkpin-Leissner.

The only Labour councillor in the ward at the moment, Jeane Lepper, is retiring. Her husband David Lepper, the first Labour leader of Brighton Borough Council, stood down as the MP for Brighton Pavilion at the last general election.

Two of the three candidates for Goldsmid have been chosen – Matt Irish and Jackie Quinn. The third will be picked in the coming months.

Councillor Morgan said: “I’m delighted that someone with so much experience of local government as Maggie is joining the Labour and Co-operative team, along with our other excellent new candidates Peter Atkinson, Matt Irish, Jackie Quinn, Tracey Hill, Michael Inkpin-Leissner and Caroline Penn.

“More are to be selected by local Labour members in the coming weeks as we build a team capable of taking over from the Greens and running the city well.

“I’m very sad that Chaun Wilson can’t continue beyond the elections for very understandable personal circumstances.

“She had made a huge and valuable contribution to the Labour Group, to housing and to East Brighton ward since being elected, and will continue to do so until May 2015.”