St Leonards student's bid to become an MP

A St Leonards student is bidding to become one of the youngest MPs ever elected to Parliament.
By The Newsroom
Published 27th Apr 2017, 17:17 BST
Updated 9th May 2017, 18:34 BST

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Solomon Curtis, who is looking to be selected as Labour's candidate for Brighton Kemptown (photo by William Shears).Solomon Curtis, who is looking to be selected as Labour's candidate for Brighton Kemptown (photo by William Shears).
Solomon Curtis, who is looking to be selected as Labour's candidate for Brighton Kemptown (photo by William Shears).

Solomon Curtis, 20, who is in his final year at the University of Sussex, is looking to be selected as Labour’s candidate to contest Brighton Pavilion, currently held by Green MP Caroline Lucas.

Back in 2015, he stood for Labour in the safe Tory seat of Wealden, where he increased his party’s share of the vote.

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Mr Curtis felt that a lack of affordable housing, decreased opportunities for young people, inequality, and the need to improve education were a few of the big issues in Sussex.

He said: “There’s a part of Brighton that is not as well off, which is struggling, that needs a Labour government.

“I can ensure that they have a voice within the Labour Party.”

Back in 2015, Ms Lucas was re-elected for Brighton Pavilion with a nearly 8,000 vote majority over the Labour candidate.

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Asked about possible election pacts, he felt it was a ‘little bit ludicrous and slightly insulting’ to suggest if Labour did not field a candidate, its entire share of the vote would be transferred automatically to one particular party.

He said: “I’m not interested in attacking the other parties I’m interested in attacking the Tories and putting forward a positive vision.”

He pointed to the SNP’s Mhairi Black and former Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy as examples of MPs elected in their twenties, and argued he would be a good choice to represent a young and diverse population in Brighton.

Mr Curtis felt that under Jeremy Corbyn, Labour was presenting a clear anti-austerity message as well as stopping ‘scapegoating of migrants and welfare’.

Labour candidates are expected to be announced next week.

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Related topics:MPsLabourSt LeonardsParliamentWealden