Leigh Farrow, Labour Councillor for Moulsecoomb and Bevendean will announce at full council today that he has joined UKIP.
Cllr Farrow, a member of the Labour Party for 30 years was banned from standing as a councillor for Labour and Cooperative at next years local elections in May, at a branch meeting of the Labour and Cooperative Group in September this year, which he described as a “kangaroo court”.
Responding to the news a spokesperson for the Labour and Co-operative group on Brighton and Hove City Council, said: “Leigh Farrow was removed as a Labour candidate following repeated complaints from council staff and party colleagues of unacceptable behaviour, not for any political reason.
“If he wishes to seek election in May for UKIP then that is a matter for him, although we would question whether he agrees with UKIP policy of removing rights in the workplace, such as sick leave, health and safety, maternity leave, paid holidays and more, as well as their support for the privatisation of the NHS.
“His defection to UKIP is somewhat surprising as until now Leigh Farrow has been on record as describing UKIP as “racist”, “xenophobic”, “further to the Right than the Tory Party” and “acting like the BNP.”
In an email to colleagues in April 2013, Mr Farrow, wrote: “I don’t know whether you saw the article in the Argus on Saturday, “Tory defection is a big boost to UKIP”. Apparently the deputy leader of Tory controlled Horsham District Council has defected to UKIP, saying it is “the real Conservative Party”.
“I won’t be loosing much sleep over Tories moving to UKIP. I am much more concerned about conversations I’ve recently had with residents in Bevendean and Whitehawk. These local people who would normally support Labour are expressing their concerns over the possible immigration, next year, of people from Romania and Bulgaria. UKIP is conducting a campaign playing on the fears of ordinary working people. In this Tory fuelled recession of our economy people are genuinely afraid for their jobs and now their homes. UKIP is behaving like the BNP and blaming “foreigners”.
“Following the Eastleigh by-election and looking forward to next year’s European Parliament elections, UKIP have become emboldened. They think that their brand of xenophobia can be easily sold to British people. Unfortunately there is an element of truth in this. With most of the right-wing press supporting this type of view the fear of eastern europeans is becoming viral.
“As the Labour Party nationally and locally we need to stand up to this racism before it is too late. We need to campaign for equality in the cosmopolitan City and district that we live in. We need to remind people that many British citizens live and work in countries like France, Portugal, Spain, Malta and Cyprus. During the Thatcher recession of the 1980’s, many British people went to work in Germany.
“Without positive action against the UKIP campaign many of our natural supporters will be tempted to vote UKIP. This could mean the loss of our South East MEP seat next year. It could then have serious effects in May 2015. If Labour supporters vote UKIP then the Tories could hold on to the parliamentary seats of Brighton/Kemptown and Hove & Portslade. A swing to UKIP in the City would not help us gain a majority on the Council.
“Our NEC and City & District Party need to build campaigns to take UKIP head on. We need to show our natural supporters that UKIP is just the “Nasty Party” mark 2. Their other policies are further to the right than the Tories and would do even greater damage to the British economy.”
Cllr Farrow has been asked to comment.
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