Member News
Caroline Lucas will today call for job shares for MPs as a measure to open up politics to women and encourage closer links with communities.
As Green Party members gather in Birmingham for their first autumn conference since their leader was elected to Parliament, Lucas will float the policy to delegates.
The party leader is expected to say pairs of parliamentary candidates should be allowed to stand in general elections and share the job if elected.
She will argue that the move would open up jobs in Westminster to women and allow MPs to retain stronger ties with their constituencies.
Lucas is expected to tell delegates that the coalition deal between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats presents the party with the opportunity to attract disaffected Lib Dem voters.
She will say the party needs to retain its traditional mix of radical and pragmatist policies to "influence" the political debate and build its membership base.
Lucas said that party membership has increased by a third in the last year.
Speaking to Radio 4's Today programme, Lucas said the job-share plans were "actually incredibly sensible".
"How many times have people talked about career politicians, about politicians being out of touch with reality.
"If you had job-sharing MPs what that would allow you do is to keep MPs with a foot in their community, they could keep their caring responsibilities, they could keep voluntary work, they could continue part-time in their profession.
"It would enable far more women to get into politics."
In May, the party leader won the seat of Brighton Pavilion, with a majority of 1,252 over Labour candidate Nancy Platts.
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