THE Green Party has launched its bid for election glory in the south.

The party began its campaign ahead of the European Elections which take place in exactly two weeks’ time.

And candidates will be making their presence felt as the campaign trail comes to south Hampshire. 

Party representatives, including candidates Alex Phillips and Jonathan Essex, current MEP Keith Taylor and Brighton MP and former party leader Caroline Lucas, posed on the party’s campaign bus, which runs on used chip fat, in Brighton.

The traditional London double decker bus, painted red and green and emblazoned with the slogan ‘Real Change for Real Good’, is touring south east England until election day.

It will be in Winchester today, from 3pm to 6pm and in Southampton, on Tuesday, from 10am to 2pm.

There will be a chance to meet the candidates and find out more with a film screening and information stall. 

At the south east launch, the Green’s party South East MEP spoke of the importance of electing Green candidates to the European Parliament when residents go to the polls on May 22.

Mr Taylor, who has been a South East MEP since 2010, said voters had a choice between the hope offered by the Greens compared to the same approach as before favoured by other parties.

“We believe that the EU can, and should, put people and the environment first,” he added.

This message was reiterated by fellow Green candidate for the south east and current Brighton and Hove councillor Alexandra Phillips.

She said the UK Independence Party was locked into the old ways of running the economy while Labour and Conservative fought over “which can cut welfare the most and which can privatise our schools and hospitals the quickest”.

The Green Party hopes to double the number of Green MEPS in the south east by
re-electing Mr Taylor and adding Ms Phillips.

It will be fighting the election arguing for an economy that works for everyone not the richest, for public services that work for residents and protecting the environment while cutting fuel bills.