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Six candidates are standing for election to parliament to represent the Hove and Portslade constituency on Thursday 4 July 2024.
The six candidates are Sophie Broadbent (Green), Carline Deal (Conservative), Martin Hess (Reform UK), Peter Kyle (Labour), Tanushka Marah (Independent) and Michael Wang (Liberal Democrat).
Each candidate answered questions submitted by voters. Here are the answers from Independent candidate Tanushka Marah, 49, a theatre director who posts on Instagram as @Tanushkamarahcampaign.
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Why do you want to be an MP and how are you qualified for the role?
People are tired of the way career politicians ignore voters’ views and they want a new kind of independent politics.
I feel duty-bound to represent the millions who want an end to the Gaza genocide, who are being ignored by our Westminster political parties.
I’ve lived in Hove and Brighton for 29 years, working as a theatre director. For 15 years, I’ve worked with young people across the constituency, building links with community groups to open doors to culture for young people of all backgrounds.
I ran my own business and understand the struggles people face in Britain today.
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If elected, how would you deal with performance and pricing problems in privatised utilities such as the water companies, railways, energy companies and the Royal Mail?
Privatisation – including mail, water, railways and energy – has failed. We need to bring all these essential services back into democratic public ownership.
We need affordable rail fares to encourage more use of the train network and get people out of their cars.
The privatisation of Royal Mail has been a disaster, with the private management seeking to undermine the universal service and hike prices.
The water companies have taken £72 billion-plus in profits, failed to invest and now want to hike water prices to solve the sewage crisis they caused. We need publicly owned energy providers to drive the renewable energy transition.
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What would you do to help people who are struggling to rent or buy a home? Should second homes or Airbnb-style holiday lets be banned?
I support building more secure affordable council homes, secure long-term tenancies for renters, taxes on empty homes, and a cap on holiday lets, including Airbnb.
I also support rent controls – including a freeze on most rents – to stop excessive rent rises, with the aim to bring average rents down to less than 40 per cent of average wages.
No-fault evictions must be banned and notice periods extended for end of tenancies. First-time buyers and families must be given priority in all new housing developments, sales for second homes restricted and overseas sales of private homes or flats for investment should be banned.
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What steps would you take to improve hospital performance, community care and access to GPs for patients in Brighton and Hove?
The NHS is being privatised by the Conservatives – and Labour wants to continue this policy. We need to end NHS privatisation and restore pay levels for all our NHS workers to halt the exodus of doctors and nurses to other countries and out of the health service.
To fund this, we need to raise corporation tax, close tax loopholes and introduce a tax on the wealthiest 1 per cent to raise billions to restore our public services.
We also need to build a National Care Service to end the crisis of elderly care and restore special needs and mental health services.
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Events in Israel and Gaza have affected many members of the community here. What can people in your constituency expect you to say and do as an MP?
As a British Palestinian, I feel duty-bound to demand a ceasefire in Gaza, an end to UK support for Israel’s genocide, ending arms sales to Israel and an end to the occupation of Palestinian lands.
The UK must impose an arms embargo and economic sanctions on Israel until it ceases human rights violations and the illegal occupation.
We must also comply with and enforce the rulings of the ICC and the World Court.
I will continue to campaign and speak up on Israeli apartheid and US-UK complicity until Palestine achieves self determination and freedom.
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Do you support building new homes and a replacement for King Alfred swimming pool in the Benfield Valley?
It is vital that the popular King Alfred leisure centre is given the chance to continue to serve its local seafront community in its original location.
It is a three-acre public asset built for the people of Hove 85 years ago, not a private building site for luxury flats.
Full restoration would be the cheapest and greenest option and generations of residents could continue to enjoy it.
It would also be great to have a new leisure centre in Hangleton. We must end the selling off of great public assets to private developers.
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Polling stations are due to be open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday 4 July. Photo ID is required for those voting in person.
