NORTH Herefordshire MP Ellie Chowns has launched a bid to become national co-leader of the Green Party.

She and current co-leader Adrian Ramsay, who represents Waveney Valley in East Anglia, made the joint announcement on Monday this week, after the party’s other co-leader Carla Denyer said she would not re-stand for the position adding that she wanted to focus her energies on her Bristol Central constituency.

“As co-leaders, Adrian Ramsay and I will grow Green power, hold government to account, and lead with ambition, unity and deep-rooted values,” Ms Chowns stated on social media.

The pair already have already launched a campaign website and a campaign video which states: “The old parties are crumbling fast. After the next election, Green MPs could hold the balance of power. Adrian and I know we can achieve so much more.”

Both politicians won their Westminster seats at last July’s general election, being among four Green Party of England and Wales candidates to do so.

A leadership ballot of party members will take place over the summer.

Meanwhile South Herefordshire MP Jesse Norman has prompted an apology from a government minister over her downplaying of the grooming gangs scandal.

The Conservative MP, who is also shadow Leader of the House, accused his opposite number, Labour MP Lucy Powell, of dismissing concerns over grooming gangs as dog-whistle politics and bandwagon-jumping.

Ms Powell had stated on BBC Radio 4’s Any Questions, had said when the recent Channel 4 documentary Groomed: A National Scandal was raised: “Oh, we want to blow that little trumpet do we? Let’s get that dog whistle out.”

She had earlier accused Mr Norman of ‘pathetic and blatant political bandwagon jumping’ when he raised the issue with her in the Commons in January.

Ms Powell replied she was “very sorry” for her Any Questions remarks when quizzed by Mr Norman.