A local councillor since 1999, Peter Chowney has been council leader since 2015.

Peter Chowney chosen as Labour’s candidate in parliamentary election

Another parliamentary candidate is in place, with the selection of Hastings Borough Council leader Peter Chowney to represent Labour. The LibDems chose their man long ago and the Greens make their choice later this week, but the signs are that Ukip will not be contesting the seat this time. Nick Terdre reports.

In the wake of the 2015 candidate Sarah Owen’s decision not to seek the candidature, Hastings and Rye Labour Party has selected Cllr Peter Chowney, leader of Hastings Borough Council since 2015, to stand against the incumbent Tory MP, Amber Rudd, on 8 June.

“I am honoured to be selected to stand for Hastings and Rye in the General Election and will be out meeting people over the next month, discussing ideas for making our wonderful stretch of coast an even better place to live, work and visit,” Mr Chowney said.

“I have lived here for over 20 years. It is a place I adopted as my home because I love its unspoilt beauty, character and eccentricities. A Labour government would restore the funding needed to vital local services so that schools, the health service and transport work well for all our residents, wherever they live, and whatever their circumstances.”

“This strong local Labour party is delighted that Peter Chowney has been selected,” said Paul Barnett, chair of Hastings and Rye Labour Party. “He has already done a remarkable job for Hastings and will make an outstanding champion for Hastings and Rye as our Member of Parliament. We are all looking forward to saying goodbye to this uncaring government and to the Home Secretary who has shown no love for Hastings”

Regeneration champion

A party statement said that in his time on Hastings Council Mr Chowney had championed the regeneration of the town and led a remarkable transformation in its fortunes. “He has been especially keen to ensure that the environmental and cultural strengths of Hastings are recognised nationally…and secured many millions of funding from outside Hastings for key local services.”

The Liberal Democrats have had a candidate in waiting for some time in Nick Perry, who recently criticised the government’s Brexit process and Ms Rudd’s part in it. “Amber will live to regret a decision to sign up to a Hard Brexit manifesto,” he said.

“It would show our local MP is not willing to stand up for our local economy or the many European citizens living here…People here deserve an MP who will stand up for those who want to prevent a disastrous hard Brexit and keep Britain in the single market.”

Two-horse race

In late April Mr Perry also criticised Labour for not having a candidate in place, saying, “It seems that Labour have simply given up on beating Amber Rudd. But I have spent 10 years of my life opposing her, and I am not going to stop at this crucial time for our country.

“This election is now a two-horse race between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives.”

Meanwhile the local Greens have invited members to select their candidate at a hustings to be held on Friday.

Despite various efforts, HOT has been unable to speak with the local Ukip chairman to ascertain whether they intend to contest the general election. The fact that they have not fielded candidates for the county council elections may indicate that they will abstain from this one too.

See also Thursday 4 May: vote, vote, vote…and Local politicians prepare for electoral battle.

Recently HOT erroneously published a message to Green supporters under the title ‘Green Party hustings’. The article has been withdrawn and we apologise for this error.

Also in: Politics