91Èȱ¬

Jonathan Bartley and Sian Berry have been re-elected co-leaders of the Green Party, defeating the two other candidates Shahrar Ali and Rosi Sexton.

The pair won 49% of the first preference votes, while Mr Ali and Ms Sexton received 24% and 27% respectively.

Amelia Womack was re-elected deputy leader for the fourth time.

Unlike other parties, the Greens automatically hold a leadership election every two years.

On his re-election Mr Bartley said: "The economic, climate and health crises have put the country at a crossroads -we can continue down the same old road or we can choose a transformative Green recovery that ensures the wellbeing of us all, now and in the future.

"Only the Greens have a clear, positive vision for what the country could be, and the ambition to build a grassroots mass movement which will demand, and work for, better than what came before."

While Ms Berry said: "We're growing fast - last year we doubled the number of Green councillors, and the 18 councils where Greens are part of the administration are among the most innovative and exciting in the country, but we can do so much more.

"Next year people will have a chance to bring real change to their area by electing more Green councils, putting Green voices in the Senedd, and electing a Green Mayor for London."

London councillor Mr Bartley has been co-leader since 2016. He worked on former Conservative Prime Minister John Major's leadership campaign in 1995 and has previously appeared on 91Èȱ¬ Radio 4's Thought for the Day.

London Assembly member Ms Berry replaced Caroline Lucas as co-leader in 2018. She is also the party's candidate in the London mayoral elections.

Ms Womack said: "Delivering real action on the climate and ecological emergency, while working to tackle inequality, our party is the only party that has the message and policy fit for the challenges of the 21st century."

At the 2019 election, the party won 2.7% of the vote, up 1.1% from 2017. It has one MP, Ms Lucas, who has represented her Brighton Pavilion seat since 2010.

Ms Lucas congratulated the winners and tweeted "We doubled number of Green councillors last year and that's just the start. #BetterIsPossible when we build it together."