The country’s first Green MP has pledged she is not turning her back on Brighton – despite not standing for re-election as leader of the national party.

Caroline Lucas, who represents Brighton Pavilion in Parliament, said not putting herself forward for the national role again will mean she has more time for her constituency duties.

In an interview with The Argus yesterday, Dr Lucas said she hoped it would mean more people in the party could come forward to “increase the Green voice nationally”.

Speaking at a city centre café, Dr Lucas, who was elected as the party’s first leader four years ago, said: “Combining both roles as an MP and leader is an enormous workload but that’s not the reason I’m not restanding.

“This gives a chance for somebody else to come forward to show I’m not the only person in Green politics and it means we can build for the future as a party.”

Dr Lucas said she hopes to stand for re-election as MP for Brighton Pavilion in 2015 – the same time as local elections are held for all 54 seats on Brighton and Hove City Council.

But she insists the decision was not taken to try to ensure she – and the first ever Green local authority in the country – won a second term.

She said: “I am loving the job and I love the city and very much hope to stand again at the general election.

“The party members have the final say but assuming they do, I want to build on what has been created here.

“My role as party leader and the first Green MP has certainly helped bring the national spotlight onto local issues, whether it is the lack of affordable housing in the city or that people live in some of the most dreadfully draughty homes while people live in fuel poverty.

“I feel confident that I can still do that.

“Being a good constituency MP is very important to me.

“There’s nothing that beats helping someone around the labyrinth of welfare laws or helping get someone rehoused.”

Speaking about the country’s first Green council, she said: “My feeling is that they have done a good job in an extraordinarily difficult time when you think about all the cuts that have been put on them by central Government.

Issues “They have still managed to do this while still protecting the most vulnerable in the city.

“It’s no secret that I publicly asked the council to change some of the higher tariff charges in the city as I felt they were too high for traders in the city and I’m pleased that the council revisited them.”

Dr Lucas said green tourism, along with supporting ultrafast broadband for businesses and creating better links from Brighton station to North Laine, were some of the issues she wanted to back to before the next general election.

She said: “To me green tourism is about coming to the city and not necessarily using the car.

“I know that some people do need the car but it can be a big boost to green tourism if we can think of more alternative ways of getting people from A to B.”

Your questions

Green MP Caroline Lucas has hit back at claims she does not live in Brighton.

The politician said she had lived in the area since before the general election and now had a family home in the city.

When asked why she has not held constituency surgeries in the outskirts of the city recently, Dr Lucas said: "We started off holding them across the city but we very quickly worked out that if people wanted to speak to me, they wanted to do so straight away so we made them all by appointment and have held them in my constituency office.

"What we're planning to do is keep the current appointment system but have more drop-in sessions."

The Argus also asked about the rumours begun by commentators on The Argus website about wanting Brighton to become the UK's premier centre for UFO research.

Dr Lucas laughed the suggestion off, adding: "I have no idea where they got that idea from."

The announcement comes two years after Dr Lucas secured the historic victory at the Brighton Centre in May 2010.

As for her successor, Dr Lucas said: “It’s really early days to be talking about a successor.

“There will be a lot of people thinking about it, whether they are in Brighton or anywhere else.”

The Argus understands the incoming leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, Jason Kitcat, has ruled himself out of the running for the national role.

However current MEP and former city councillor Keith Taylor could be in the running for the role, which starts in September.

Editor's note: after the Argus went to press last night, Keith Taylor ruled himself out of the running.