But will it happen? Council politics requires a certain sort of personality. You have to be able to enjoy or endure the endless tedium of it. That's not to say that a councillor and his or her party can actually make a difference to the life of the city. They can and do. But it's not for every one. The Green Party is a party of the young - or at least younger. It has already lost two of its first councillors (Pete West and Rik Child) who each threw in the towel. Another one will do the same this time round. (I'm reliably informed that Pete West is about to make a comeback to council politics next May - older and wiser, no doubt.)

Part of the problem is just how to mix council commitments with careers and work commitments. Young councillors not uncommonly stand down because they realise they need to get a proper job. Council politics is still pretty much a preserve of the middle aged and retired.

However, the Greens do have an indefatigible weapon in their current leader, Keith Taylor, who is the right age, has the right personality, and seems to enjoy the cut and thrust of council politics.

Keith Taylor is their parliamentary candidate in Brighton Pavilion, and is their joint leader nationally along with Caroline Lucas, one of their two MEP's.

Also, it's worth noting, that the Greens have taken to holding their annual conferences at Hove town hall.

I reckon they're here to stay - not least because Tony Blair's invasion of Iraq made foreign policy a live electoral issue, and because we continue to be bogged down in Iraq.

Blair's inability to acknowledge his gross blunder means that Labour will continue to pay an electoral price for it - at least here in Brighton.