The Sussex And The City Podcast

– Episode 31:

Why I Want To Be Mayor (Part Five)

Host: Richard Freeman Guest: Martin Webb, independent candidate for Mayor of Sussex & Brighton

🔍 Episode summary

In this wide-ranging conversation, Richard sits down with Martin Webb — a man whose CV could easily be many separate careers.

Martin was a defining figure in Brighton's 90s and 00s nightlife, running clubs, bars and restaurants across the city. He has also ran his own local media empire, been a business mentor on Channel 4, a columnist for The Telegraph, a small business author, and, in a twist that surprises many, a frontline volunteer police sergeant for nearly a decade.

Now he's running as the only declared independent candidate for Mayor of Sussex & Brighton - self-funding the campaign, clocking up millions of TikTok views, and arguing that Sussex needs "a very honest, grounded, authentic approach" untied to party politics.

The conversation explores how his life in hospitality, policing and community work informs his vision for the new mayoralty; a role Martin describes as "not about me at all. It's about getting the best outcomes for Sussex and Sussex people."

He has views on housing, anti-social behaviour, nightlife, farming, collaboration between towns, and the "post-Brighton" identity crisis Sussex needs to solve to make devolution work.

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🎯 Why this matters

"I want to be an independent now. I don't think the mayor needs to be aligned to one particular problem. I want to speak and act to do good for the people of Sussex."

For many voters, the idea of a non-party mayor - one who refuses donors and funds the campaign personally - challenges the assumption that the mayoralty must be run by a big political machine. Martin argues that independence is not a gimmick, but the only way to escape party whipping and focus solely on place first, politics second.

He also speaks frankly about the state of Sussex:

"People are fed up with how dangerous our streets are, how much housing costs, how much of our environment is at risk from massive over-development."

He says his proposed solutions - from Sussex Marshals to a countywide buying group - reflect his entrepreneurial background, his voluntary policing experience, and his belief that 'common-sense' collaboration has been missing.

🧠 Topics covered include:

• What independence really means in a region used to red–blue–yellow politics
• Why Martin left the Labour selection process
• How policing experience fuels his plans for safety, patrols and anti-social behaviour
• "Sussex Marshals" - volunteers to free up police time
• Tackling the housing crisis through brownfield-first development
• AirBnB controls and licensing
• Protecting rural Sussex from "disproportionate" mega-developments
• The future of nightlife and why towns need tailored NTE strategies
• A Sussex buying cooperative for small businesses
• How TikTok has made him unexpectedly popular with younger voters
• Overcoming anti-Brighton sentiment and building one Sussex story
• What Sussex could look like in 2046 if devolution works

"From week one, I'll be tackling the crisis we have got with anti-social behaviour, theft and shoplifting."

📚 Further reading and references

• Martin Webb – campaign website
• Martin Webb on TikTok
• Martin Webb in Facebook
• Martin Webb on Instagram

🎧 Production credits

Host: Richard Freeman Guest: Martin Webb Sound design / editing / original music: Chris Thorpe-Tracey Production management: Letitia McConalogue Recorded: Regency Radio, Lancing

📣 Get involved

Want a joined-up Sussex story? Want to help shape devolution so it actually works for people and places? 👉 https://sussexandthecity.info — episodes, resources and events.