BRIGHTON Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas has been named MP of the Year 2014 for her work with “minority and deprived communities”.

The Green MP was chosen by an independent panel of judges for the award set up by the Patchwork Foundation.

Ms Lucas said she was “honoured” and “delighted” , adding: “Sadly there is still a long way to go in terms of addressing the huge underrepresentation of minority and deprived communities, both in society and in parliament itself.

“As MP for Brighton Pavilion, I am committed to continuing to do all I can to support and engage with those communities and to prevent people from being excluded from the political process.”

The Patchwork Foundation works to increase the involvement of under-represented communities in British political life.

More than 90 MPs were nominated for the award, presented in association with Mosaic Associates, Three Faiths Forum, UpRising and The National Union of Students.

Simon Woolley, Patchwork National Advisory Board Member said: “The MP of the Year Awards not only highlight the work MPs are doing to better understand their diverse communities, it also applauds those MPs who are encouraging greater civic and political engagement.

“With many young people, particularly from BME communities feeling a huge disconnect from our elected representatives, the MP of the year awards should be a reminder to all MPs that we expect them to give voice to those unheard, and in doing so the whole of society benefits.”