Lord Bracknell
On fire
PRESS RELEASE
Tuesday 8 August 2006
LibDem Party Conference Rally announced
The Falmer For All Campaign plan to hold a major rally in Brighton next month, when the Liberal Democrats visit the city for their annual Party Conference.
Chair of the Falmer For All Campaign Paul Samrah said,
“With Ming Campbell and his Parliamentary colleagues in our City for their annual Party Conference, we have a perfect opportunity to show just how unpopular and out of touch the Lewes LibDems and in particular their sitting MP, Norman Baker, have become.
Recent statements by Baker, alluding to corrupt practices in the Falmer Stadium decision making process, demonstrate that the Lewes LibDems have descended to new depths of desperation in their latest round of
anti-Stadium spoiling tactics.
Baker has been quoted (The Independent on Sunday – 6 August 2006) as saying that the proposed stadium is in ‘open country’ – that is simply a complete lie.
I urge everyone who deplores the Lewes LibDems attempts to to kill off the Falmer Stadium to join the rally – we cannot allow the majority view to go unheard. Please make the effort to be there and to be heard. Do not leave it to others.
This will be the biggest demonstration ever seen at a LibDem Party Conference - and rightly so. We will leave the Liberal Democrats in no doubt as to who is spoiling their party – Norman Baker, Ann de Vecchi and their Lewes LibDem colleagues.”
The rally on Sunday 17th September takes place at 4pm opposite the Brighton Centre. From 10am, the Albion Supporters’ Club will be staging a vigil in front of the Brighton Centre.
ENDS
Background note to Editors
Brighton & Hove Albion’s plans for a new Community Stadium at Falmer, which would secure its future, remain in jeopardy.
After two lengthy Public Inquiries that looked at all the evidence, including alternative sites, planning permission was given last October. But the Liberal Democrat leadership of Lewes District Council (LDC) decided, behind closed doors and without any consultation with local people, to challenge that decision. It will be December before the case reaches the High Court.
LDC’s opposition to the stadium is not supported by local people. In the course of just one week, last December, over 5,000 residents of the district signed a petition to oppose the Council’s decision to take the matter to Court. An offer from the Government’s lawyers to resolve the case without the expense of a Court case has been refused by the Council.
The cost of this unwarranted and unnecessary legal action is enormous, not just to the football club, but to the entire community.
The stadium will bring new jobs to the area, promote sustainable economic regeneration and offer opportunities for expanding the award winning education & training programmes that the Albion are already delivering. All this is threatened by the Council’s action. The potential cost to Council taxpayers in Lewes District runs into six figures.
Plans were submitted to Brighton & Hove City Council for a Community Stadium at Falmer in October 2001. The Council approved the application by 11 votes to 1. The application though was ‘called in’ for a Public Inquiry, this concluded in May last year. The Club has spent over £3m on the application to date.
Detailed rally arrangements – Sunday 17 September
• From 3.30pm – Assemble opposite Brighton Centre
• 4pm - Rally starts with speeches
• 4.40pm - Disperse
Everyone attending is encouraged to use public transport – the City Centre is likely to be very busy. Please allow sufficient time to make the start.
Tuesday 8 August 2006
LibDem Party Conference Rally announced
The Falmer For All Campaign plan to hold a major rally in Brighton next month, when the Liberal Democrats visit the city for their annual Party Conference.
Chair of the Falmer For All Campaign Paul Samrah said,
“With Ming Campbell and his Parliamentary colleagues in our City for their annual Party Conference, we have a perfect opportunity to show just how unpopular and out of touch the Lewes LibDems and in particular their sitting MP, Norman Baker, have become.
Recent statements by Baker, alluding to corrupt practices in the Falmer Stadium decision making process, demonstrate that the Lewes LibDems have descended to new depths of desperation in their latest round of
anti-Stadium spoiling tactics.
Baker has been quoted (The Independent on Sunday – 6 August 2006) as saying that the proposed stadium is in ‘open country’ – that is simply a complete lie.
I urge everyone who deplores the Lewes LibDems attempts to to kill off the Falmer Stadium to join the rally – we cannot allow the majority view to go unheard. Please make the effort to be there and to be heard. Do not leave it to others.
This will be the biggest demonstration ever seen at a LibDem Party Conference - and rightly so. We will leave the Liberal Democrats in no doubt as to who is spoiling their party – Norman Baker, Ann de Vecchi and their Lewes LibDem colleagues.”
The rally on Sunday 17th September takes place at 4pm opposite the Brighton Centre. From 10am, the Albion Supporters’ Club will be staging a vigil in front of the Brighton Centre.
ENDS
Background note to Editors
Brighton & Hove Albion’s plans for a new Community Stadium at Falmer, which would secure its future, remain in jeopardy.
After two lengthy Public Inquiries that looked at all the evidence, including alternative sites, planning permission was given last October. But the Liberal Democrat leadership of Lewes District Council (LDC) decided, behind closed doors and without any consultation with local people, to challenge that decision. It will be December before the case reaches the High Court.
LDC’s opposition to the stadium is not supported by local people. In the course of just one week, last December, over 5,000 residents of the district signed a petition to oppose the Council’s decision to take the matter to Court. An offer from the Government’s lawyers to resolve the case without the expense of a Court case has been refused by the Council.
The cost of this unwarranted and unnecessary legal action is enormous, not just to the football club, but to the entire community.
The stadium will bring new jobs to the area, promote sustainable economic regeneration and offer opportunities for expanding the award winning education & training programmes that the Albion are already delivering. All this is threatened by the Council’s action. The potential cost to Council taxpayers in Lewes District runs into six figures.
Plans were submitted to Brighton & Hove City Council for a Community Stadium at Falmer in October 2001. The Council approved the application by 11 votes to 1. The application though was ‘called in’ for a Public Inquiry, this concluded in May last year. The Club has spent over £3m on the application to date.
Detailed rally arrangements – Sunday 17 September
• From 3.30pm – Assemble opposite Brighton Centre
• 4pm - Rally starts with speeches
• 4.40pm - Disperse
Everyone attending is encouraged to use public transport – the City Centre is likely to be very busy. Please allow sufficient time to make the start.
