Labour MP Des Turner regained his seat for a third successive term but with a reduced majority.

Tory candidate Judith Symes was snapping at Mr Turner's heels with only 2,757 votes between them.

Dr Turner told a noisy Hove Town Hall: "There's no point denying it's been very difficult. I'm very thankful to the Kemptown electorate for returning me to the House of Commons."

He thanked his campaign team and the electorate for supporting him and said: "Without them Brighton might not have been so well served."

Despite losing the seat, Mrs Symes looked upon it as a partial victory, claiming she had almost halved Labour's majority despite only being selected in January of this year.

She told the crowd: "We will be back next time."

Mrs Symes told The Argus after the result: "I do not think the vote expressed the disappointment I heard on the doorstep.

"It's a good result for us, hopefully next time we will win."

Green candidate Simon Williams polled 2,800 votes, more than doubling the party's vote since the election in 2001.

Mr Williams, a Brighton and Hove City councillor, said: "It's a fantastic result for the Green Party in Brighton and Hove. The Green Party is still on the map."

Socialist Alternative candidate Phillip Clarke, who polled 113 votes, held a small placard on the stage when the votes were announced, stating: "Stop the privatisation of council homes."

Gene Dobbs, an Independent candidate, brought with him a noisy entourage who barracked throughout all three counts. He received 47 votes.

He told the crowd: "I couldn't care less how many people voted for me. I'm shocked about how people have been treated here, which is supposed to be a public event."

The public were limited to about 150 people at the count.

Kemptown is one of the most diverse constituencies in Sussex and, prior to 1997, was considered a safe Tory seat.

Elected: Des Turner (L) 15,858.

Not elected: Judith Symes (C) 13,121, Marina Pepper (LD) 6,560, Simon Williams (G) 2,800, James Chamberlain-Webber (UKIP) 758, Caroline O'Reilly (Peace Party) 172, John McLoud (Socialist Labour Party) 163, Elaine Cook (I) 127, Phillip Clarke (Socialist Alternative) 113, Gene Dobbs (I) 47.

Turnout: 60.3 per cent.

Majority: 2,757.