Liverpool Green Peter Cranie has become the bookies' favourite to succeed Caroline Lucas as leader of the party.

Ms Lucas steps down in September and Cranie is now 1/5 on Paddy Power, with his nearest rival being Natalie Bennett at 7/2.

Cranie, a social worker and lecturer, is campaigning on a strong anti-austerity ticket.

Spencer Fitz-Gibbon, formerly Caroline Lucas MP's head of media relations who is running Cranie's campaign said: "The betting may indicate that Green Party members want to escape the old single-issue image and appeal to a much wider audience on the basis of a strong economic and social message."