CAROLINE LUCAS TO BECOME THE GREEN PARTY’S FIRST MP

Caroline Lucas: “It is the start of a new poltical force in Westminster”

Caroline Lucas will be Britain's first Green Party MP after winning the Brighton Pavilion seat.

Ms Lucas, the leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, notched up a majority of 1,252 over her nearest rival, Labour's Nancy Platts.

She said the people of the constituency had made history by propelling her party to power on a swing of 8.4%.

“Thank you so much for putting the politics of hope above the politics of fear,” she told them.

“I pledge that I will do my very best to do you proud,” she said, adding: “For once the word historic fits the bill.”

Ms Lucas previously said a hung parliament would be “interesting”.

“Both in terms of perhaps increasing our chances of getting a fairer electoral system, so that people's voices are properly heard. But also of course in giving the Greens that bit more influence.

“So, I think these are pretty exciting days ahead,” she told BBC News.

The party had had 200 people campaigning in Brighton on Thursday to ensure those who had said they would vote Green did so, she said.