General election 2010: Greens are go with stunning seaside win
By Sam Dale
The first ever Green MP has been elected in Brighton Pavilion, overturning the sitting Labour MP.
Green party leader Caroline Lucas was elected with 16,238 votes, more than 2,000 over the Labour candidate Nancy Platts.
The three-way marginal was a tight fight with the Conservative candidate getting 12,275 votes.
Ms Lucas earned an 8.4% swing from Labour and increased her vote share by almost ten per cent.
Liberal Democrat Bernadette Milliam achieved just 7,159 votes and lost 2.2% of her vote share.
The Green victory could prove crucial in such a tight election and likely hung parliament with Lucas’ vote much sought after in close Commons divisions.
It is the first real gain from a minor party which appear to have been squeezed following the leaders’ debates and focus on the three main parties.
