Simon Burgess is the Labour & Co-op candidate to succeed Des Turner as MP for Brighton Kemptown & Peacehaven at the General Election.

Simon Burgess was chosen as the candidate by an overwhelming majority of local Party members. Des, who announced in 2006 that he would not be seeking re-election at the end of his third term, welcomed Simon's selection saying "no-one knows the constituency and the communities within it better than Simon, and no-one is more committed to and has a better grasp of the issues important to local people and the individual problems they regularly face. He will make a first rate MP, none of the other candidates come anywhere close to what he has to offer."

Simon Burgess has worked, lived and raised his family in the constituency for 18 years, and his children go to local state schools. He was a mature student at Sussex University where he studied Politics with Development Studies in the School of African and Asian Studies. He has worked on the frontline in the NHS, in small businesses including transport and publishing, been a carer, and is unusual as a politician in having worked as both a private sector manager (in transport) and as a public sector trade union representative (in the NHS). For the past thirteen years he has worked very closely with Des Turner MP organising campaigns and dealing with constituents issues and problems. He served as a local councillor in the constituency for eight years and for one year was the Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council.

He was first motivated to become involved in politics, when still at school, when he found his local cinema banned wheelchair users so he helped organise a demonstration. A few years later he discovered his council would not remove racist graffiti so he did it himself.　 Throughout his life he has sought to tackle discrimination and inequality wherever it exists; from taking on the BNP, to fighting for older people, those with disabilities and LGBT equality and working on the elect Obama Campaign. He played key roles in lobbying for; a community stadium for the Albion, local sustainable development including affordable and zero carbon housing, and fought for a fairer schools admissions system.

From one end of the constituency to the other he has campaigned on issues important to local residents including; organising a demonstration outside Southern Water's HQ against the greenfield sewage works in Peacehaven (he was the only councillor to take part). Years later, when residents fought a last ditch attempt to stop the proposals in the High Court, Simon undertook a solo sponsored cycle ride, in aid of the residents appeal, from the High Court to Peacehaven. At the other end of the constituency he helped re-start the St.James's Street Area Action Group, which he chairs. He has brought residents and businesses together with the council and police to improve the quality of life, from extra policing and cleaner streets to Christmas lights for the area for the first time. He is also a trustee of both a local deaf school and also a local youth club (where he has been known, more than once, to spend four hours washing up for the annual pensioners Christmas party!).

He has campaigned for, and achieved changes to, national Labour Party policy in many areas including: introducing feed-in tariffs (that pay households income for the sustainable electricity production such as solar photo voltaics on roofs), banning cluster bombs, the national minimum wage, free museums, co-operatives including credit unions, not privatising the Royal Mail and better care for older people.

Simon is backed by the Co-op Party because he has a proven track record of working for, and delivering, co-operative solutions such as being a founder member of the local credit union. He campaigns for making the Royal Mail, Network Rail, care services and publicly bailed out banks into co-operatives so that they work for the benefit of their customers and so that they give their staff a real say in the running of these vital services.

Simon is also backed by many trade unions because in their experience he is inclusive, seeking fair and reasonable solutions for the benefit of staff and those receiving services. When council leader he took some services back in-house because he successfully showed that those services could be provided better and more cost-effectively in-house. He also successfully made a stand against NCP who were seeking to dis-enfranchise its staff through the introduction of a 'new' union that was not interested in standing up for its members rights whilst trying to de-recognise the GMB trade union.

A keen cyclist, Simon has pushed for better public transport routes and services across the constituency, and has taken a leading role in defending wildlife and promoting the green spaces in and around the city, including local parks, Telscombe Tye, Sheepcote Valley and of course the new South Downs National Park. He championed the policy of ensuring all new housing developments in Brighton include 40% affordable units. He also enjoys sailing his fold away dinghy, which fits on the roof of his camper van which he uses for family breaks. One of the many things he loves about the area is the vibrant arts and music scene on offer, from artists open houses to concerts and gigs. He still sometimes dusts off his old DJ equipment for parties and weddings.