Greens plan to contest 200 seats

The two principal speakers of the Green Party

The Green Party plan to contest 200 seats in the forthcoming general election pitching themselves to voters as a "radical, honest alternative".

Within hours of Tony Blair calling the poll for 5 May the Greens attacked his second term as "characterised by war".

And they attacked Charles Kennedy's decision to travel around the UK in an aircraft, "releasing 100 tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere".

The themes of people, peace and planet will be central to the Green campaign.

Party principal speaker Keith Taylor said: "We are fighting the 2005 election with increasing candidate numbers, more Greens than ever before, and a sweeping manifesto for environmental, economic and social justice that the business-dominated mainstream parties cannot offer.

"After a four year interim characterised by war and an increasingly indistinguishable cross party agenda of spin and "non-stop privatisation" there has never been a greater need - or opportunity - for a Green voice in Westminster."