Green party elects Natalie Bennett as leader

The former Guardian journalist Natalie Bennett has been elected as leader of the Green party and announced her intention to have a Green councillor in every major town and city within a decade.

Bennett was elected ahead of three rivals by the party's 12,400 members to succeed Caroline Lucas, the party's first MP in the UK.

As well as councillors for all urban and many rural constituencies, Bennett said she wanted to get an MP elected for every region and would target 10 seats in Westminster for the party.

Bennett said she would focus on a big increase in elected Greens for her two-year leadership, but did not rule out standing in London – where she would be expected to stand as mayor – or as an MP in future.

To win seats, the Green party would appeal to disaffected Liberal Democrat and Labour voters, said the new leader.

"It's obvious many Lib Dem voters are desperate for a home, but the reality is in many parts of the country there aren't enough Lib Dem voters to get elected on the back of," Bennett told a press conference at the party's London headquarters.

"My experience on the doorstep is people have gone back to voting Labour, but there's not a lot of enthusiasm for them."

Bennett, 46, said the party wanted to have a voice on all national issues and vowed to fight the coalition government's "economically illiterate" cuts.

We need "investment in homes, investment in jobs, investment in energy conservation," said Australian-born Bennett, who also pledged to argue for revitalising local industry, especially to produce renewable energy, and British farming.

Another key plank of the party's manifesto would be a minimum "living wage" of 50% of average national income – currently £8.10, compared to the minimum wage of £6.08, which will rise to £6.19 from 1 October.

Another key focus would be a decent standard of living for people on benefits, and an end to the "demonisation" of such claimants.

"That help should be given graciously and generously, not begrudgingly," she said.

Bennett said the party would pay for much of their manifesto by cracking down on growing legal tax evasion by companies and wealthy individuals.

She also denied it was impossible for such a small party to persuade enough voters to make a difference. "I think there is a really genuine sense out there in the community that what's being offered from the three largest parties isn't satisfactory, isn't good enough," she said. "People are really looking for alternatives. What we have got to do is make sure we are visible enough, that we're doing work in local communities, showing people we're a viable alternative, that we have got a fully costed manifesto for the general election, we have a coherent idea of the way forward."

The Green party is due to announce the results of its deputy leadership election later on Monday.