Like Brighton Pavilion Tory candidate Mike Weatherly (Letters, May 12), I would like to thank all the voters of Pavilion who placed their cross against my name.

I, too, owe a great deal to the many Green Party members who worked long hours to push our share of the vote up to 22 per cent - the largest-ever Green Party share in a general election.

Of course we are disappointed not to have won but the democratic process - even with the flaws of the first-past-the-post system - has delivered its verdict and Greens, like disappointed Tories and LibDems, respect the wishes of the people and live to fight another day.

However, why Mr Weatherly should feel so smug about coming second is beyond me.

Not too long ago, Brighton Pavilion was a solidly Conservative seat. Beating a small party like the Greens into third place by a little more than 800 votes is nothing to crow about.

Even with all the corporate resources of his party to finance his campaign, he managed to get just 197 extra votes on an increased turnout compared to the 2001 General Election - not exactly the launch pad to win next time round, as he claims.

On the other hand, with 9,571 votes, the Green Party trebled its share of the vote with a 12.9 per cent swing in its favour.

Neither should we forget the doubling of the vote in Kemptown and Hove, which bodes well for Green voters in the 2007 local elections.

Finally, we should not forget Labour's Pavilion performance.

David Lepper tried to con the electorate that a vote for the Greens would see Mr Weatherly elected. How wrong he was.

On seeing the 13 per cent swing from Labour to us, the only party Mr Lepper should be concerned about at the next General Election should be the Greens.

My thanks again to all those who voted Green.

-Councillor Keith Taylor, St Peters and North Laine Ward