Green Party elects first ever leader

In an historic move this weekend the UK Green Party elected its first ever leader.

Previously, the Greens had two ‘principal speakers’, reflecting the party’s view that leadership and responsibility belong to every member of society.

However, the party has now decided that having a single leader is more likely to resonate with the public, bringing the Greens into the mainstream and securing more votes at elections.

MEP for South East England, Caroline Lucas, won the leadership contest with more than 90% of party’s vote.

Following her victory, 47 year old Lucas declared that ‘Britain needs Green leadership now’.

She went on to say that no other political party has the ‘vision or courage’ to face up to the country’s ‘real challenges’, namely ‘the accelerating climate crisis, and Victorian levels of inequality’.

Lambasting energy companies as ‘robber barons’ she highlighted how just three companies – Shell, BP and Centrica - together make £1,000 in profit every second.

By contrast, the Greens would push for investment in renewable energy sources and energy efficiency.

Greens insist that electing a leader will not cause it to abandon its principles or change its policies.

The party’s big aim now is to get its first MP elected. Both Caroline Lucas and deputy leader Adrian Ramsay will stand at Britain’s next general election.