IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A BETTER FUTURE
THEN BE THE DIFFERENCE.
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Ben Dempsey grew up in Haywards Heath and has lived in Sussex for most of his life. He now works on UK nature restoration for a large wildlife organisation and has a PhD in nature conservation from the University of Sussex.
He was previously a senior leader in humanitarian organisations, including Save the Children, managing major budgets, leading teams and working in conflict zones such as Gaza.
Ben has served as a Mid Sussex District Councillor. He now lives in Ditchling with his children and his wife, who is an NHS doctor. A Brighton & Hove Albion supporter, he enjoys walking on the Downs with his golden retriever, Alba.
More about Ben and his ambitions for Sussex and Brighton & Hove to follow.
Rüdi Dikty-Daudiyan made his mark in the recent Queen’s Park by-election increasing the Liberal Democrat share of the vote by nearly 50%. Rüdi who is a freelance translator is proud to have made his home in the Queen’s Park and has pledged to continue his work in the ward, although not elected, and looks forward to again meeting the many supporters and well-wishers he met in his recent campaign.
Rüdi says, “I couldn’t be happier to have made Brighton my home, but like many of our residents, I’m concerned about how it’s being run. The current Labour council has a massive majority, and yet, we’re not seeing the results we deserve. The recent by-election is the sixth to have being held since Labour came into office and in this era of financial cuts and council tax increases places a greater burden on the city's strained resources. It's money that could have been spent on improving pavements, dealing with bins and recycling and anti-social behaviour.
In his spare time, Rüdi plays for the Queen’s Park Tennis Club and volunteers for the Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association. He lives in the ward with his husband and their dog Emma.
30/09/2025 - Latest News
Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey has announced a new, expanded frontbench team:
Leader of the Liberal Democrats - Ed Davey MP
Deputy Leader and Treasury Spokesperson - Daisy Cooper MP
Chief Whip - Wendy Chamberlain MP
Cabinet Office Spokesperson - Lisa Smart MP
Health and Social Care Spokesperson - Helen Morgan MP
Education, Children and Families Spokesperson - Munira Wilson MP
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Spokesperson - Tim Farron MP
Foreign Affairs Spokesperson - Calum Miller MP
Home Affairs Spokesperson - Max Wilkinson MP
Business Spokesperson - Sarah Olney MP
Justice Spokesperson - Jess Brown-Fuller MP
Women and Equalities Spokesperson - Marie Goldman MP
Energy Security and Net Zero Spokesperson - Pippa Heylings MP
Housing and Communities Spokesperson - Gideon Amos MP
Transport Spokesperson - Olly Glover MP
Science, Innovation and Technology Spokesperson - Victoria Collins MP
Culture, Media and Sport Spokesperson - Anna Sabine MP
Defence Spokesperson - James MacCleary MP
Work and Pensions Spokesperson - Steve Darling MP
Scotland Spokesperson - Susan Murray MP
Wales Spokesperson - David Chadwick MP
Northern Ireland Spokesperson - Paul Kohler MP
London Spokesperson - Luke Taylor MP
Primary Care and Cancer Spokesperson - Helen Maguire MP
Care and Carers Spokesperson - Alison Bennett MP
Mental Health Spokesperson - Danny Chambers MP
Universities and Skills Spokesperson - Ian Sollom MP
Schools Spokesperson - Caroline Voaden MP
Immigration and Asylum Spokesperson - Will Forster MP
Trade Spokesperson - Joshua Reynolds MP
International Development Spokesperson - Monica Harding MP
Europe Spokesperson - Al Pinkerton MP
Local Government Spokesperson - Zöe Franklin MP
Rural Affairs Spokesperson - Sarah Dyke MP
Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury - Charlie Maynard MP
Shadow Leader of the House of Commons - Bobby Dean MP
Shadow Attorney General - Ben Maguire MP
Deputy Chief Whip - Tom Morrison MP
Brighton and Hove Liberal Democrats strongly condemn the way in which Brighton and Hove City Council has approached the requirement to make savings of £210,000 to the library service. The Council put out to consultation in April the idea of closing three libraries – Rottingdean, Hollingbury and Westdene - and to reduce the opening hours at Jubilee and Hove libraries.
Despite saying that no decision has been made the Council has asked residents for alternative suggestions for running libraries as community hubs without local government funding. This obviously suggests that the decision has already been taken to close the libraries and the council is just going through a meaningless consultation.
Libraries are at the heart of our communities. They are particularly important for children so that they develop and nurture a love of reading. For those on low incomes they are a lifeline. It is a place where those without access to the internet at home can come and use a computer with free Wi-fi.
This consultation closed on 10th October, and a final decision will be made in December, after which the libraries will probably close. Brighton and Hove Liberal Democrats will continue to campaign, alongside other groups, against closure.
The Kemptown Ward Team have set up two petitions for you to sign. They are calling on the Council to improve facilities at Blackrock and support local businesses in St George's Road with better parking.
Brighton and Hove Liberal Democrats know only too well the importance of ensuring our visitors, residents and businesses have the most basic of needs met, even more so in developing areas such as Black Rock, where new businesses are sprouting up with no additional facilities to support an increase in visitors to the area.
Brighton and Hove Liberal Democrats call upon Brighton and Hove City Council to urgently ensure that there are toilet facilities in the Black Rock area that are accessible for all.
You can support this by signing the petition:
via Change.org petition:
or via BHCC petition:
https://democracy.brighton-hove.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=964&RPID=166903062&HPID=166903062
Kemptown Liberal Democrats are saddened to see that the St George's Road area of Kemptown is again being let down by this Labour administration.
Brighton and Hove Liberal Democrats call upon Brighton and Hove City Council to look at the parking restrictions along St George's Road to see how we can support local businesses in implementing a 2 hour free parking option for those visiting the cafes, salons, independent businesses and shops.
You can support this by signing the petition:
via Change.org:
or via the BHCC website:
https://democracy.brighton-hove.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=962&RPID=166903231&HPID=166903231
Is local government really being devolved or is it in fact being centralised to hand more power to central government?
As the Labour Government releases more decisions and information on its proposed reforms Brighton & Hove Liberal Democrats raise questions on what is really happening. With the new Mayoral Authority for Sussex receiving the go ahead from Central Government, B & H lib Dems ask how taking powers away from our local council can be described as devolution. The proposals to do away with local parish councils mean that authorities such as Rottingdean Parish Council will cease to exist and with it so will the powers of local people to have a say in the running of their local environment. Many of the powers currently held by our City Council will be transferred to the new Mayoral Authority which means that local people will have less say in the management of their city. None of this fits the bill of handing more power locally. In addition we question whether the proposed authorities will be as independent as we are led to believe. Common sense suggests that central government may well end up controlling the new authorities via their funding allocations and as such influence their policies.
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City Hall Politics from a Liberal Democrat perspective.
Pothole in the city causing you a problem? Contact the council and tell them about it https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/travel-and-road-safety/roads-and-highways/pavement-and-road-repairs
Come and enjoy yourself and meet other people with a passion for life and those around them.
Come and meet us. We get together each month for a coffee morning; Just choose which constituency you would like to get to know and turn up and treat yourself to a coffee or tea and a chat. For details for each constituency, Hove & Portslade, Kemptown & Peacehaven, or Pavilion go to our Events page for more details on the coffee morning you would like to attend.
A Get together at a local hostelry is our Inn Politics evening, they usually start at 6:30 -7:00 pm for the early birds and go on until 9.30 pm for the night birds. There is much talk about local politics and the changes taking place as people share their experiences and discuss the general political scene as well as catching up on local happenings.
Details of our next Inn Politics event are published on our events page as as they become available.
All are welcome and it is a great chance to find out more about what is happening for Lib Dems locally.
We find out just how good our local restaurants are at enticing our taste buds whilst we explore through discourse the latest gossip meandering through local politics, with the odd diversion into the world of Westminster.
Details of our next Politics & Prosecco event are published on our events page as as they become available.
They usually start at 7:00 pm. As places are usually limited booking is essential. For more information and how to book go to our events page.
Brighton & Hove Liberal Democrats call for the two child limit on benefits to be scrapped as the Labour Government keeps it.
IPP sentences introduced by the last Labour government have condemned minor criminals to a life without hope.
The County Councils Network forecast that councils across the country face a £54 billion shortfall over the next 5 years.
Flooding and Water Pollution Dangers highlighted.
Labour leader Bella Sankey announced the proposed Cabinet yesterday, 30 April 2024
A study has found that people who keep the same GP over a period of 15 years had a 25% lower chance of dying than those who had a new GP within a year.
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