The Green Party has vowed strong opposition to Castle Point's Labour and Conservative candidates in tomorrow's election.

Its candidates will be joined in their fight against the mainstream parties by independent candidate Norman Garnett and Robert Chapman, representing the Socialist Alliance Against The War.

A total of four Green candidates are standing for seats in the big polling day and party spokesman Chris Keene is hoping they will come out on top.

Douglas Copping, Chris Keene, Clifford Hughes and Lilian Willis have all put themselves forward to represent the people of Benfleet, Hadleigh and Canvey.

Mr Keene said: "More Green candidates are standing in the local elections in 2003 than ever before, giving more people the chance to vote Green."

The committed champion highlighted local concerns such as proposals for a £11.5billion airport at Cliffe, which would be just across the estuary from Canvey.

He also repeated the party's commitment to recycle 100 per cent of Britain's waste.

Mr Keene said: "The Green Party not only opposes the development of an airport at Cliffe but wants to reduce air travel so that we don't need any new runways anywhere.

"It is the height of selfishness to say 'I want to fly away for my foreign holidays, and I don't care if I disturb your sleep, pollute your air, or even cause your roads to become even more congested but what I do not want is an airport in my back yard.'"

He added that while Labour aimed to recycle just one-third of Britain's waste by 2020 - and landfill or incinerate the other two-thirds - the Green Party was looking at recycling all the country's waste and would create 50,000 jobs by doing so.

However, Mr Keene added the party not only stood for cutting pollution and rubbish but also promoted peace.

Published Wednesday, April 30, 2003

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