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I'll be live tweeting this evening's faith hustings, hosted by Brighton & Hove Faith in Action in the Ajex Hall, Brighton and Hove Reform Synagogue. Here's a bit about the group:
Politicians on the panel are @BeatriceLibDem, @GoLocalVoteJoe, @CushwayDr, @CharleySabel, @Brunswick_Green and @peterkyle, together with several faith representatives.
Jessica Sumner, CEO of @bh_cw, is chairing and opens with a plea for respectful behaviour from all panelists and audience members.
First question from the floor is on why Labour & Lib Dems want to decriminalise abortion.
Peter Kyle says the intention is not to change the number or availability of abortions, but to "remove the stigma". There shouldn't be a theoretical concept that it is a criminal offence that is then waived.
Ollie Sykes says the Green Party believe in the right for women to choose what happens to their own bodies. Audience member asks whether he has a right to reply - denied by Chair.
Charlotte Sabel ssys rights of women and rights of an unborn child are a "delicate balance". She supports the law as it stands.
Chair moves on to next question - audience member asks Graham Cushway about a parody video and whether it is okay to make fun of the SS and the Holocaust. Will he apologise?
His response is that he apologises if offence is taken but it's a heavy metal video from ten years ago making fun of the Luftwaffe.
Third question is on housing and homelessness. Beatrice Bass says there are over 15,000 people on the housing waiting list in Brighton & Hove. Lib Dems have pledged to build 300,000 new homes per year including 100,000 council homes, and provide more emergency accommodation.
The chair asks where we can find space for new housing locally. Beatrice says @liberalbrighton see the need to be more radical and look at building 1,500 homes on Hollingbury Golf Course to tackle the housing waiting list, instead of the council's idea to use it for glamping.
Charlotte Sabel says she believes in more devolved powers and funding to local councils. Separates out homelessness from building more homes - instead need to reverse austerity measures and restore legal aid.
Ollie Sykes agrees and says government cuts have been a huge cause. Solutions are Housing First and more devolved powers and funding to local government.
Peter Kyle says we know how to tackle homelessness because it's been done successfully in the past - the approach taken in 1997 is the guidebook. Need to reform the system to restore pathways that used to exist and tackle in-work poverty again.
A social worker in the audience asks Joe Miller why the Conservatives haven't tackled these issues. He acknowledges that "lots of it has been caused by Conservative policy" but they couldn't borrow their way out of the financial crash.
A Quaker audience member asks about weapons manufactured in Brighton used by Saudi Arabia against Yemen. Beatrice Bass said it's "quite shocking news and plainly wrong". Lib Dem manifesto pledges to stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia.
Joe Miller adds there has been a breach of UN international law and the company should be held liable. Graham Cushway says the weapons were likely sold to our NATO ally Turkey initially and then passed on. We should condemn the end action but the initial sale may have been valid.
Charlotte Sable says she would change the UK's role from being one of policing the world to one of peacekeeping in the world - against all arms sales and would scrap Trident.
Ollie Sykes says "feeding off arms sales" is not where we should be going as a country. Peter Kyle says there is no doubt in his mind these actions break domestic law as well as international law, and the government is turning a blind eye.
Jim Deans from Sussex Homeless Support offers a comment from the audience. He says the biggest cause of homelessness isn't lack of housing but a lack of mental health support. "If you can solve mental health issues, you'll solve homelessness."
Following a tea & coffee break, the candidates are asked what they plan to do about anti-Semitism within their own party and the country as a whole.
Supplementary questions from the faith leaders are about whether society is actively discouraging faith and the need to recognise the impact of Islamophobic hate speech on vulnerable people within communities.
Peter Kyle says he is "deeply sorry for the anti-Semitism that has crept into the Labour party and has not been dealt with fast enough". He has asked Jeremy Corbyn to sit and reflect why people with an anti-Semitic world view have recently been attracted to the Labour party.
Ollie Sykes says he worked with Christian Aid in Angola towards the end of the war there and saw faith in action trying to rebuild communities. Brexit has contributed to polarisation of debate - political leaders and the media need to take more responsibilty for their language.
Charlotte Sabel says part of the rise of nationalism and extremism is a "faith void with a missing spiritual core". Education and faith schools play a huge role in society.
Graham Cushway says Brexit is a huge opportunity to open up to the world and their points-based immigration policy is colour-blind. Audience member picks him up on this, asking who decides who is let in.
Joe Miller says "if Peter Kyle was leader of the Labour party our country would be a far better place". You heard it here first folks!
Audience leader heckles "Boris!". Joe acknowledges there is Islamophobia within the Conservative party: "it's completely unacceptable" and there will be an independent enquiry.
Beatrice Bass knows the stories from WWII - half her family are from Austria and her grandmother risked being reported for failing to give the Nazi salute. "We need to say no to anti-Semitism: there is absolutely no other answer."
She says Luciana Berger reported her experience of being in Labour versus the Liberal Democrats as two completely different worlds - Peter could choose not to stand for a party that's being investigated for anti-Semitism.
Follow-up question from an audience member on standing together to commemorate the Holocaust. Peter Kyle says: "you tell me where and when, and I will be there". He says he has thought very deeply but will not abandon the Labour party while there is hope of turning it around.
