Is Your MP Supporting Falmer?

Last updated : 10 June 2005 By Bob Gear

With the public inquiry now closed and the inspector writing his report (which is scheduled for submission before the end of July), we are in the last phase of the campaign to get us a new stadium at Falmer with a decision due by 31st October 2005 at the latest.

The Falmer For All team are very optimistic, having had representatives at the Enquiry throughout.

But it is absolutely essential to keep the pressure on so that John Prescott is in no doubt about the support for our new stadium and the need for a swift decision.

The Falmer For All Campaign has a number of initiatives in the pipeline. The first is to ask supporters to contact their MPs once more.

EDM 15 currently has 30 signatures including Labour and Conservative MPs, and one Democratic Unionist from Northern Ireland. The previous EDM got 145 - so we have some way to go to match the last effort!

EDM 15 says:

"That this House congratulates Brighton and Hove Albion on their successful first Championship season; believes that their success is further justification of the need for a new community stadium as a permanent home for the club which would also enhance the wider sporting, economic and educational life of the city of Brighton and Hove; and calls for the earliest possible decision in favour of the club's planning application for such a stadium at Falmer."

You can see the progress of EDM 15 each day at

http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMList.aspx . Check here to see if your MP has signed.

Remember, though, that around 100 Labour MPs are unable to sign EDMs because they are members of the Government. To check this see
http://www.parliament.uk/directories/hciolists/hmg.cfm#Govt

If you are not sure who your MP is then see http://www.locata.co.uk/commons/

If your MP has not signed and is not a member of the Government then please ask them to do so - but please keep it polite, even if you had a rejection last year.

You can either write to your MP at House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA, or, in many cases, email them. To see if your MP is contactable by email see

http://www.parliament.uk/directories/hciolists/alms.cfm

Please be courteous when contacting MPs. Most of them will not have any connection with Brighton & Hove, so essentially we need them to do us a favour by signing EDM 15.

As well as the Albion's desperate need, you should also perhaps emphasise the social and economic benefits the stadium will bring to the city -

and, of course, that there is only one possible site for the stadium: Falmer.

We need a positive decision, and we need it as soon as possible. Please do what you can to help this summer so that our second season in the Championship gets a huge early boost with a YES to Falmer.

Add your message to the link below as you contact your MP, report your success!