Former Brighton and Hove City Council leader Ken Bodfish has been chosen as the next mayor of the city.

Councillor Bodfish, who had led the city council for six years until his resignation in January this year, was chosen to replace Councillor David Smith at a meeting of the full council last night.

Conservative members refused to back the move and as the mayor will not be formally appointed until after next May's local elections, the door is open for a Tory candidate next year if it becomes the biggest party on the council.

Tory leader Brian Oxley said: "The Conservative group has decided that this year we will not be supporting a nominee for mayor at this stage.

"We are pleased, of course, for councillor Bodfish on a personal level that he has been chosen by his group for the position of the mayoralty.

"But the key for us is what arrangement for the mayoralty will facilitate the most effective working of the council following the city's vote.

"We cannot know the result of that until May 4 and we, as a group, will make a decision then, prior to the annual council, not now."

The Greens along with the Conservatives abstained from the vote.

Councillor Keith Taylor said: "What a bold and brave decision from Labour.

"What will happen when councillor Bodfish is not reelected?"

Labour councillor Brian Fitch, backed by the Lib Dems, said he was pleased to nominate his colleague.

He said: "Councillor Bodfish has been a councillor on East Sussex County Council, Brighton Council and Brighton and Hove City Council.

"He has served in a variety of positions locally, nationally and internationally."

Coun Bodfish resigned as leader of the council last year to chair the new Sussex Partnership NHS Trust.

He was then unexpectedly dropped from the Labour Party's candidacy list for the Queen's Park ward for May's election.

In September he resigned from the trust just weeks after being reselected.

He said he was honoured to have been selected to be mayor. He said: "If I should become mayor I hope to follow in the footsteps of previous distinguished mayors."

Coun Smith was chosen as deputy mayor, after a unanimous vote.