David Cameron today attacked Brighton and Hove’s Green council when he said the authority was “incapable of emptying people’s dustbins”.

The remark came when Simon Kirby, MP for Brighton Kemptown, asked: “Mr Speaker, it’s very easy to just say the words ‘long term economic plan.

But in Brighton Kemptown the last five years have seen sharply falling unemployment, hugely increased business start-ups and a massive £480 million investment in a new hospital. Does the Prime Minister think that the sun will continue to shine on Brighton?”

The PM responded: “First of all let me pay tribute to my honourable friend who has been a real champion of Brighton and he has campaigned so hard for the extra investment in the rebuilding of this hospital and I am so glad that the Royal Sussex County Hospital redevelopment will take place.

“Also I will note that the claimant count in his election has gone down 52% since the last election and that the long term youth claimant rate has gone down 50% since the last election and on that basis I think we can say that the sun will continue to shine on Brighton.”

Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, then asked the PM about The Argus rail campaign.

But before she went into detail, she commented: “I certainly agree with the PM that the sun shines on Brighton, it shines bright green on Brighton Pavilion.”

But the PM quipped back: “The only part of Brighton where the sun doesn’t shine very well is the fact that the local Green council is incapable of emptying people’s dustbins – so we need a Tory gain there as well.”