– Episode 31:
Why I Want To Be Mayor (Part Five)
Host: Richard Freeman
Guest: Martin Webb, independent candidate for Mayor of Sussex & Brighton
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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"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.
"From week one, I'll be tackling the crisis we have got with anti-social behaviour, theft and shoplifting."
Host: Richard Freeman
Guest: Martin Webb
Sound design / editing / original music: Chris Thorpe-Tracey
Production management: Letitia McConalogue
Recorded: Regency Radio, Lancing
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.
