A POLITICIAN from Brighton is hoping to become the Green Party’s new deputy leader.

The Green Party of England and Wales announced the candidates for its next leadership election last week.

Three are running to be party leader and six are hoping to be the new deputy leader.

Tom Pashby, who lives in North Laine, is running for the deputy leadership.

Tom is a green activist, vegan, and non-binary.

The 28-year-old believes the Greens need to win over Labour voters disappointed with the party’s shift away from the left.

Tom said: “I considered running in 2018 but there was a lot going on. This time, we’re facing a really turbulent political period.

“The Greens tried the idea of a progressive alliance for years and it’s obviously not worked.

“Now, the Greens need to be in power to take action on the climate emergency.

“And we need to take the left ground no longer occupied by Labour under Keir Starmer.”

Tom said the election was “all to play for”.

Tom added: “I’ve been in the party since 2012 – I was an activist at university in Plymouth and I ran for Parliament a few times.

“I’m also non-binary, and because of the party’s gender-balancing rules I won’t be directly competing with men or women.

“I’m going to be very vocal vocal about supporting LGBT rights – we need to be better and louder when it comes to that.”

Tom works for a European climate organisation, and has a background in communications.

Tom’s main priorities are “being clear about the Green identity which is about pursuing environmental, social and economic justice”, and “providing a left alternative for people disappointed in Labour taking a turn to the right”.

At the 2019 election, the Green Party of England and Wales won 2.7 per cent of the vote, up 1.1 per cent from 2017.

Its one MP, Caroline Lucas, has represented Brighton Pavillion since 2010.

Members will vote between August 3 and 31, and the results will be announced soon afterwards.

The current party leaders, Sian Berry and Jonathan Bartley, who share the role in a unique arrangement, are both running again.

The Green party holds elections every two years, unlike other parties who usually wait until a leader resigns.

The other candidates for deputy leader are Macclesfield general election candidate James Booth, Deptford general election candidate Andrea Carey Fuller, the party’s digital officer Nick Humberstone, Bristol city councillor Cleo Lake, and the current deputy leader Amelia Womack.