Caroline's political life
Caroline is Member of Parliament for Brighton Pavilion and leader of the Green Party of England and Wales.
She first joined the Green Party in 1986 and has held many positions including National Press Officer (1987-89) and Co-Chair (1989-90).
Caroline won the party’s second County Council seat in 1993 and served on Oxfordshire County Council until 1997.
She was elected as one of the Green Party’s first MEPs in June 1999 to represent the South East of England region - and was re-elected with an increased vote share in 2004. Former Green councillor Keith Taylor now represents the South East in the Euro-Parliament.
She was chosen as the Party's Principal Speaker each year from 2003 to 2005, and again in 2007. In 2008, she was elected as the party's first ever leader. After serving for two terms, Caroline stepped aside in 2012 and Natalie Bennett was elected by members to lead the party.
In her role as an MP, Caroline is a Co-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Fuel Poverty, and Vice Chair of the Public and Commercial Services, Sustainable Housing, Animal Welfare, and CND All Party Parliamentary Groups.
She is also a member of the Parliament's Environmental Audit Committee, scrutinising proposals such as the Green Investment Bank and the Government's plans to embed sustainable development in every department.
Caroline continues to be an active campaigner on a range of issues and is a Vice President of the RSPCA, a CND National Council Member, a Matron of the Women's Environmental Network, and a Patron of Action for UN Renewal and Martlet's hospice. She is also a UNICEF Parliamentary Champion and a Vice President of Stop the War Coalition.
She is also an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Environmental Sciences and a Patron of the Westminster Social Policy Forum.
Caroline received the Michael Kay Award from the RSPCA in 2006 for her outstanding contribution to European animal welfare, and in 2011 was awarded the Lord Houghton Award for Services to Animal Welfare.
She has been voted the UK's most ethical politician in 2007, 2009 and 2010 by readers of the Observer, and in 2008 was judged one of the Guardian’s top “eco-heroes.” She received Red magazine's Woman of the Year Award 2010 in the ethical/eco category and is in the Environment Agency's Top 100 Eco-Heroes of all time.
Caroline was named the 'Most Influential MP' in 2012 by the Political Studies Association, 'MP of the Year' in the Scottish Widows and Dods Women in Public Life Awards 2011, and 'Newcomer of the Year' in the Spectator's 2010 Parliamentarian awards.
Caroline's work as an activist and campaigner
What has Caroline done for you?
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