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Circus ringmaster to stand as candidate in Brighton Kemptown

Circus of Horrors ringmaster to stand as an Alternative candidate for the constituency of Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven at the coming General Election.

Doktor Haze
Doktor Haze

Doktor Haze, creator and ringmaster in the outrageous Circus of Horrors has thrown his top hat into the ring, standing as an Alternative as opposed to an Independent candidate in the constituency of Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven at the forthcoming General Election on June 8.

The good Doktor decided to stand once he realised that the snap election coincided with the The Circus of Horrors performances in the WOW Big Top at Preston Park as part of the Brighton Festival.

He says: “I travel all over the World with the Circus of Horrors but when the snap election was announced I realised I would be in Brighton during the election run in.

Brighton has a lot of fond memories for me, it was the first City The Circus of Horrors performed commercially back in 1995. We have been to the city many times since and aside from London The Circus of Horrors have performed more in Brighton than anywhere else. I also love the diversity of the city and the tolerance and understanding of other cultures and communities within Brighton & Hove, this is one of the issues that I will be campaigning for. It shouldn’t matter what you look like, you should be accepted for what you are.”

Coming from very humble beginnings, Haze was born in a circus, abandoned by his dad and left with his mum and dog in a van in Wick, Scotland when he was 6 months old.

Reunited with his Dad and taught to fire eat in a circus ring at the age of 12 he left the circus to try to earn a living in a rock band before combining his theatrical upbringing with rock music and his other passion Horror to create the Circus of Horrors.

Doktor Haze who claims to be 668 (Vampire years) was a good friend of Screaming Lord Sutch a regular attender of The Circus of Horrors, and was encouraged by him to join the Monster Raving Loony party but always declined a potential political career – until now.

To view his manifesto, click here:

The manifesto contains an eclectic mix of the serious and quirky including his views on Brexit to scraping ‘Whips’ in the House of Commons to let politicians make their own decisions and standing by what they believe in.

“Whips need to be used in the bedroom and in fetish clubs – not The House of Commons” says the Doktor.

Ladbrokes are offering odds of 500 to 1 for Doktor Haze to win the seat.

If you don’t get to vote for Doktor Haze you can see him performing at The Circus of Horrors in the WOW Big Top on Preston Park, Brighton, on May 27 and June 3 with shows at 8.30pm.

Other candidates are:
Simon Kirby: The Conservative Party Candidate
Lloyd Russell-Moyle: Labour and Co-operative Party
Emily Louise Tester: Liberal Democrats

Scam caller targets businesses in Brighton & Hove

Brighton & Hove City Council’s Trading Standards service and Sussex Police issue warning about a new scam.

An individual has been telephoning businesses in the city claiming to be the Chief Crime Prevention Officer working for the Police.

During the call, the man claims that the manager of the business has previously agreed to pay money to support the Police.

The caller then attempts to encourage payment by offering a significant discount for immediate payment; if this is refused the caller then attempts to pressurise the business into paying, including threatening court action.

Sussex Police have confirmed that no one from the Police will contact a business by telephone requesting payment of money or asking for a contribution to the Police. Trading Standards advise businesses not to speak with callers like this and to terminate the call.

A spokesperson for the council, said: “Businesses can stay safe and alert by having a clear policy about who in the organisation can authorise expenditure or agree to make payments. Businesses should also take care when processing invoices to make sure that the invoice is actually from a supplier they know and is for goods or services that they have a record of ordering.”

To find out more information on Brighton & Hove Trading Standards, click here:

Conservatives choose former LGBT+ activist to fight Brighton Pavilion

Conservatives choose Emma Warman to fight the Brighton Pavilion seat.

Emma Warman
Emma Warman

Originally from West Wales, Emma’s father is an electrician and her mother worked for the NHS. She attended a comprehensive school in Wales before studying at the University in Reading and becoming a primary school governor. She later attended law school in London – working full-time and taking evening classes to qualify as a lawyer.

Emma says she is “delighted” to be selected to fight the Brighton Pavilion seat.

She says: “I’m passionate about the Prime Minister’s commitment to create a country that works for everyone, because coming from an ordinary background and a state school education I know how difficult it can be to get on in life. Theresa May speaks for all of us, no matter what our backgrounds.”

At the moment Emma works in the insurance industry. She is a former deputy chair of LGBT+ Conservatives, has previously been a councillor and stood as the Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for Cardiff South and Penarth in the 2015 General Election.

Local Conservative Party Chairman for Brighton Pavilion, Councillor Lee Wares said: “We are extremely pleased that Emma has been selected and she will be an excellent MP for Brighton Pavilion.”

Emma says she is “looking forward to supporting Theresa May” in securing a strong and stable government delivering jobs and security for Brighton Pavilion.

Caroline Lucas is the sitting MP for Brighton Pavilion. She retained the seat in 2015 with an increased majority of 7,967 over the Labour candidate Purna Sen. The Conservative were third with 22.8% of the vote.

The Lib Dems prospective candidate for 2017 Paul Chandler has announced he is standing aside so as not to split the vote on the left.

 

George Michael celebration on Hampstead Heath today

Party planned on Hampstead Heath today to celebrate George Michael’s life, talent and courage in promoting sexual freedom.

A coalition of London LGBT+ community organisations are organising George Michael Wants You, a free party on Hampstead Heath today, April 8, to remember the Queer Icon’s, life, talent and courage in celebrating sexual freedom.

In the week that George Michael was finally laid to rest Camden LGBT Forum in partnership with Queer Tours of London have worked together to organise this event as part of a programme of activity that also marks the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1967.

While the passing of this law was a momentous moment in our history, it was not the end of the struggle, a fact highlighted very clearly by the fact that such a confident and successful individual as George Michael still found it impossible to be open about his sexuality in the late 1990’s.

His sexuality was used to both criminalise and humiliate him; sadly despite his and many others who have bravely fought back this still goes on for so many people today.


Event: George Michael Wants You

Where: Hampstead Health at Jack Straws Castle

When: Saturday, April 8

Time: 1pm

Queer activists disrupt red carpet action at property awards

Last night a group of LGBT+ activists dumped manure and released cockroaches on the red carpet at the London Property Awards.

The action blocked off the annual celebration of “an industry which leaves queer youth homeless on the streets of London” and in the process property developers in tuxedos were forced to scuttle into the Grosvenor House Hotel through the back door.

The Sexual Avengers are a network of campaigns and individuals campaigning for queer rights through direct action and community building.

They recently made national headlines after putting a queer spin on the famous English Heritage blue plaque campaign, placing subversive blue plaques on the House of Lords and other London landmarks.

The action was intended to remind attendees at the £3,000-a-table dinner that their profits are sucked from a system which is responsible for the oppression, homelessness and deaths of queer people.

A spokesperson for the group said: “They are celebrating on the bodies of our brothers, sisters and non-binary allies”.

Research shows one in four UK homeless youth are LGBT+, and this figure is rising by 20 per cent each year.

1 in 4 UK LGB people and 4 out of 5 trans people have experienced domestic violence, while queer people are 2 to 3 times more likely to experience mental health issues.

These vulnerable queer people work in disproportionately precarious careers without access to family or support networks, and urgently need affordable social housing to survive.

A spokesperson for Sexual Avengers, said: “We are at the mercy of the housing market, where landlords and letting-agents condemn us to live in unsafe flats among filth and vermin. Property developers have grown rich by building multi-million pound housing projects, gentrifying working-class, multicultural areas and driving impoverished queer people away from support networks and into the street.”

The Sexual Avengers are demanding:
♦  Social housing built for need not greed: with 60,000 new genuinely affordable homes per year being built as a minimum.
♦ The provision of queer-specific homeless support services, and an end to irresponsible luxury developments driving working class people away from their support networks through gentrification.
♦ The scrapping of Help to Buy and Right to Buy, which systematically breaks up the social housing system and inner-city communities so many LGBT+ rely on.
♦ A rent cap pegged to the average income and council housing rent rates.

Sexual Avenger Stacey Jones, said: “My partner died of cancer last April, and they wanted to kick me out in May. They couldn’t understand how I could be in a relationship with a woman when I had a child.  I’d just lost my partner and had to sit there and justify my sexuality. Why did I deserve the house where we lived, where I cared for her and where she died?

“Property developers need to build for need not greed. I’ve been homeless twice, and I’d be on the streets now if it wasn’t for Stonewall. The number of empty properties and the number of people on the streets –it’s madness.”

Sexual Avengers say they exist to:
♦ Avenge decades of criminalisation and oppression
♦ Avenge the silencing of radical queer history
♦ Avenge the sanitation of the queer identity
♦ Avenge the pacification, separation and isolation of the queer community

Sexual Avengers is queer led but welcomes all genders and sexualities at their meetings every Wednesday from 6.30-8.30pm in East London.

Photos by Bex Wade.

For more information, click here:

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Conservatives complain Uber taxis “not playing by the rules”

The Conservative spokesperson for Licensing in the city speaks out against Uber’s apparent disregard of the spirit of the commitment made by them to operate in Brighton and Hove when they were given their operators license.

Cllr Lee Wares
Cllr Lee Wares

Councillor Lee Wares, who leads for the Conservative Group on the Licensing Committee said: “Uber’s commitment to the City and me as one of the Councillors who granted their operators licence was simple; that they would only use Brighton and Hove licensed drivers and vehicles. The reason this is important is that drivers and vehicles have to comply with the Council’s ‘Blue rule book’ which determines the safety standards of the vehicle, the training and background checks of drivers, identification, the provision of CCTV and the ability for the Council to inspect at will any vehicle and any driver. Where vehicles or drivers fail inspections, or drivers are subject to complaints, the Council can take them off the road.”

Since Uber’s operator’s licence was granted, it has become clear the company are using vehicles and drivers not licenced by Brighton and Hove City Council. It is therefore impossible to know who is licenced or not and the Council having no ability to inspect, who has been checked.

The Conservative Group say that whilst they recognise that Brighton and Hove’s existing local taxi trade can be the subject of complaints, they also acknowledge that the local taxi companies operate to some of the highest set of rules in the country.

The ConservativeGroup believes that Uber should fulfil the commitment it made at the Licensing Committee and only use Brighton and Hove licensed drivers and vehicles who comply with the Council ‘Blue rule book’ to ensure both passenger safety and that taxi and private hire vehicles in the city operate on a level playing field.

Cllr Wares continued: “Resident’s freedom to use vehicles operated by Uber exists, however it should be noted that the Council’s ability to mitigate risks to their welfare does not. It is important that the standards we operate in this City are the highest they can be and I shall press Uber to achieve this.”

He added: “Uber could, if they wished, block out any vehicle on their App covering the City that is not licensed by Brighton and Hove. It is in their gift if they wish to play by the same rules as everybody else”.

Local gardeners to raise money for cancer charities

The 6th annual Macmillan Coastal Garden Trail will take place this year on July 29 and 30th.

Award winning Seaford gardener, Geoff Stonebanks’s Driftwood Fundraising Group, has raised over £40,000 for the new Macmillan Horizon Centre in Brighton, through the trail and other events in his own garden.

The Macmillan Horizon Centre is a partnership between Macmillan Cancer Support, the Sussex Cancer Fund and Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust. Opened in November 2016, the centre was designed with input from people affected by cancer to make it the best place to offer the support and services that people in Sussex need. The centre offers all round support from a team of specialists in a calm, friendly and welcoming environment.

Do you know anyone who might like to open their garden for Macmillan this year?

If so, please contact Geoff on 01323 899296 or email geoffstonebanks@gmail.com

For list of gardens already registered, click here:

Manchester Pride reveal The Big Weekend DJ line-up

Manchester Pride has added some of the best dance music acts in the country to its line-up for the Gaydio Dance Arena at The Big Weekend which takes place from Friday August 25 to Monday, August 28.

 Danny Howard
Danny Howard

Manchester 2017 will see DJ sets from internationally renowned Faithless, BBC Radio 1’s Dance Anthems Danny Howard and English electronic music duo and production team Simian Mobile Disco head up one of the event’s most exciting and relevant DJ line-ups to date.

The warehouse party style arena at the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) festival has grown in stature over the past three years and the unique car park stage has put the event on the dance music map with world-class acts such as Judge Jules, Groove Armada, Honey Sound System, Stonebridge and Honey Dijon.

Mark Fletcher
Mark Fletcher

Mark Fletcher, chief executive for Manchester Pride, said: “Since we launched the Gaydio Dance Arena it has proven to be massively popular, not only with our audience but also with the DJ’s that we’ve been able to attract to come and play for us.  

“Every year I really look forward to visiting this unique space at the end of the day and taking in the atmosphere. It’s something very different from the rest of The Big Weekend, and from any other Pride celebration that I’ve attended. Something feels very Mancunian about it. 

“It’s brilliant to have such well renowned credible names from the word of Dance music coming out to support the event and celebrate LGBT+ life in the City. It’s also great to see Ben Pearce back on the bill after he took some time out last year – we know our audience will be thrilled.”

The Big Weekend tickets are currently priced at £22.50 for a weekend ticket, £16.50 for day tickets and children’s tickets are also available.

Tickets provide guests with access to the event site, including the Main Arena, Sackville Gardens, the Gaydio Dance Arena and the Expo and help Manchester Pride raise money for LGBT+ and HIV charities and organisations in Greater Manchester.

For video of full line-up, click here:

 

 

 

For more information about Manchester Pride, click here:

Kemptown MP asks Culture Secretary to consider Brighton for Channel 4 move

Simon Kirby, MP for Brighton Kemptown & Peacehaven has today written to the Culture Secretary, the Rt. Hon Karen Bradley MP asking her to consider Brighton as the best place to relocate Channel 4.

 

Rt. Hon Karen Bradley MP
Rt. Hon Karen Bradley MP

Today while addressing the National and Regions Media Conference in Salford, the Culture Secretary spoke about Channel 4 and announced that “the Government will not give further consideration to privatisation at this time.”

She said: “We want Channel 4 to have a major presence outside London, stimulating creative and economic activity – including jobs – right across the country. In so doing, it can play a leading role in a public service broadcasting system that reflects our United Kingdom.”

Simon Kirby MP
Simon Kirby MP

Mr Kirby said: “The Culture Secretary has said she wants to hear about potential new homes for Channel 4. I believe that Brighton would be an ideal place for Channel 4 to relocate to. I have suggested this to the Culture Secretary and hope that she considers Brighton when deciding where to relocate this world-class organisation.”

 

Controversial HIV film takes award at New York film festival

The HIV/AIDS documentary film Positive Hell added a new trophy to its collection of film festival awards last weekend receiving the Special Jury Prize for World Social Impact at the Queens World Film Festival (QWFF).

The award was presented to the film’s writer, narrator and producer Joan Shenton by festival co-directors Katha Cato and Donald Cato. The award came at the end of an important week for Positive Hell, which in 2016 was barred from two London film festivals and a New York screening, following behind the scenes lobbying.

Joan Shenton and Katha Cato
Joan Shenton and Katha Cato

The film’s producer Joan Shenton, said: “On Wednesday, we were pleased to see Positive Hell open the LGBTQ+ section of the Queens World Film Festival. The film tells a story of huge importance to the LGBTQ community and we were delighted not just at the size of the audience, the acclaim or the opportunity for this audience to see the film, but because of an unanticipated moment after the screening.

Then on Thursday, using YouTube, we released our new short film, Censored, which tells the story of how behind-the-scenes intimidation, with threats of boycotts and mass demonstrations, had led to three separate 2016 bans on Positive Hell, something we regarded not only as obvious censorship but little short of corporate terrorism.

Last Saturday, thanks to community activists in Harlem and Jackson Heights, Positive Hell was given two more screenings, with renowned journalist and AIDS writer, Celia Farber taking questions. Both events received threats and dire warnings that the film was too dangerous to screen but this time our hosts held their ground.

So three screenings took place in New York last week, all followed by constructive debates, and not a single demonstrator turned up to any of them, confirming our belief that the bullying and intimidation was simply a PR exercise: empty threats engineered by corporate pharmaceutical interests that didn’t like the ideas expressed in Positive Hell.”

Positive Hell tells the personal stories of five people who have lived by choice for decades without antiretroviral drug regimes, despite having all been diagnosed HIV positive in the 1980s and despite receiving grave warnings about the impact on their health. Thirty years after making those choices, all five were still very much alive, ready to tell their stories on camera and discuss their doubts about the medical advice they had received.

Ms Shenton continued: “After the QWFF screening, a member of the audience unexpectedly stood up and declared that, like the people in our film, he had been diagnosed HIV positive 27 years ago and, like them, he had rejected medical advice to take antiretrovirals and was still there to talk about it. He expressed his gratitude to those who, like him, question this medical orthodoxy. It was a poignant moment.”

She concluded: “Positive Hell has been selected for further film festivals this summer and ‘Censored’ is now out on YouTube as the first in a trilogy titled ‘Positively Wrong’, with the next film to follow soon. Meanwhile, the director of Positive Hell, Andi Reiss, and I and all the film’s team are immensely grateful to Katha Cato, Donald Cato and the Queens World Film Festival for recognising the importance of Positive Hell with their festival selection, topped by an award that means a great deal to us.

“We are also grateful to Elizabeth Ely who set up Saturday’s screenings and Rolando Bini, President of the Family Preservation Committee at the National Action Network – House of Justice in Harlem and director of Parents in Action in Jackson Heights, for sticking to his guns and ensuring that people directly and indirectly affected by HIV/AIDS were able to see our work for themselves and debate its message.”

Censorship of Positive Hell in London is currently being investigated by Index on Censorship, which is expected to report soon.

Festival Award for Best LGBTQ film went to Mariposas (Butterflies) by Angel Villaverde with To have you here by Jen Ackerman receiving an honorable mention.

 

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