Caroline Lucas – the first and only Green Party MP – is to stand down at the next General Election.
Ms. Lucas, 62, has been the MP for Brighton Pavilion since 2010.
She said it had been a “privilege of my life to serve this extraordinary constituency and community”.
In an open letter to her constituents said:
“I have always been a different kind of politician – as those who witnessed my arrest, court case and acquittal over peaceful protest at the fracking site in Balcombe nearly 10 years ago will recall.
“And the truth is, as these threats to our precious planet become ever more urgent, I have struggled to spend the time I want on these accelerating crises.
“I have therefore decided not to stand again as your MP at the next election.”
Ms. Lucas, who had two stints as Green leader, has increased her majority at every election since, winning by a margin of almost 20,000 votes in 2019.