Purna came to the UK from India in 1962, studied in state schools and taught in adult, community and further education. She has worked for NGOs on violence against women and human rights and with asylum seekers and refugees. She became single at the age of 40, with two teenage daughters.
Chris Bowers, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Brighton Pavilion is a writer and broadcaster, commentating on radio and TV for Eurosport, ESPN and internet media, and a member of the BBC 5 Live team at Wimbledon for 12 years from 1994-2007. Chris works in the environmental movement, has been a councillor on nearby Lewes District Council since 2007 and is Nick Clegg’s biographer.
Sussex born Simon, lives with his wife and his six children in East Brighton. He was elected as the Conservative MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven at the last general election in May, 2010. Simon was first elected to represent the people of Kemptown in 1992, as a Councillor on East Sussex County Council. Following this, he was a representative for Ovingdean, Rottingdean and Saltdean on both Brighton Borough and Brighton and Hove City Councils, and has been a School Governor at a number of schools during the past 20 years.
Davy Jones is standing for the Green Party in Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven and says it is important for him to stand up for what matters in the place where he and his two daughters grew up – a place whose radicalism has inspired his politics for decades. This is his first foray into actually being a politician. Davy is a yoga teacher – the first to stand for parliament! – and he also helps organisations involve the people who benefit from their services in their decision-making.
Paul Chandler has lived in Kemptown for over ten years and, in that time, has been an active member of his community. He has helped shape the plans for the new hospital that Brighton so badly needs as a member of the local resident’s consultative committee. For the last three years Paul has given time to the voluntary advice sector in Brighton and Hove and also helps out at a weekly soup kitchen. He has run several successful businesses including a pottery manufacturer, a typesetting company and, most recently, a travel company specialising in trips to Portugal.
Nancy says she came to politics quite recently because: “my passion is making things happen”. She is not a career politician, has not worked for an MP, as a special advisor or a think tank, has not been part of the ‘Westminster bubble’ and she hopes this will be a refreshing change! Nancy didn’t go to university because her parents thought they couldn’t afford it. She left school at 18 and has worked ever since. She got her first Saturday job at 15 and worked in a newsagent which she says she absolutely loved!
People ‘enter politics’ through many doors. Always interested by this, Christopher says he was galvanised by the campaign to prevent the imposition of a directly-elected Mayor on Hove and Brighton – and by running a nationally resonant campaign to prevent Hove Library being closed down.
Peter left school without the qualifications he needed to get by so he returned to secondary school as a 25 year-old and started all over again. Since then he’s got a PhD in community development, set up a local film company, run a charity for youth unemployment and been an aid worker.
Peter Lambell is 47 years old and has been an active member of his local community for many years, serving four years as a Surrey County Councillor, winning his seat from the Conservatives in 2009. As Vice Chair of Governors at a school for children with severe learning difficulties, Peter has a particular interest in education. He was a member of the Council’s Education Select Committee and was opposition spokesperson for Education.
As the former Superintendent of Hove Police, and Head of Sussex CID, Graham Cox says he has always stood up for residents in Hove and Portslade. Graham was born in Mile Oak, went to primary school in Portslade, and has lived in Hove most of his adult life. He says he is not a career politician – indeed if elected he would be the first MP who has served 30 years in the police. This is his first foray into actually being a politician. Davy is a yoga teacher – the first to stand for parliament! – and he also helps organisations involve the people who benefit from their services in their decision-making.
