TWO of the recently elected Green Party county councillors are standing to become members of the European Parliament.

Councillors Ellie Chowns and Diana Toynbee top their party’s candidate list for West Midlands region.

Despite standing to represent the area in Brussels they say they will continue as councillors even if elected as MEPs on May 23.

“We will continue to represent our wards and work our socks off for our residents and for the good of Herefordshire as a whole,” Coun Chowns said.

“At the moment there is no clarity as to how long the appointment as MEP would last for.

“Standing for election as an MEP while being a sitting councillor is actually not unusual.”

She said she will campaign to overturn the 2016 EU membership referendum result.

Coun Chowns believes voters were sold a lie during the referendum and that Brexit will make the country poorer.

“The EU isn’t perfect and nor is our UK political system,” she said.

“They both need deep reform but we wouldn’t say Herefordshire wants to get out of the UK just because Westminster isn’t perfect.

“Why would we rip up a partnership with some of our closest allies to pursue race to the bottom trade deals with people like Donald Trump?”

She also said one of her aims is to change how the EU spends its budget.

“The agriculture budget should be used to support nature protection and action on climate change,” she said.

“We should be producing good food at the same time as protecting our nature and countryside.

“It’s also important to be open to Europe for seasonal labour be able to come here to help our farms thrive.”