THE Greens have turned to a former Labour Party candidate in an attempt to unseat the Conservative MP in a Suffolk constituency.

SUFFOLK: The Greens have turned to a former Labour Party candidate in an attempt to unseat the Conservative MP in a Suffolk constituency.

Mark Ereira-Guyer, who was narrowly defeated in Bury St Edmunds 1997, has joined the Greens because of Labour's drift to the right.

“We have got to break the Tory stranglehold in Suffolk, but Labour are not going to achieve the breakthrough in the county's five rural constituencies,” said Mr Ereira-Guyer, who also contested Bury for Labour in 2001.

In last June's county council elections, he achieved a remarkable victory in one of Bury's town divisions, and he is hoping to use that as a stepping stone for a good showing in this year's General Election.

“The Greens offer fresh perspectives and a new way outside the narrow trajectory of so-called mainstream politics. With my selection in Bury, we now have five candidates across the seven Suffolk constituencies.

“We shall be able to offer a clearer, more independent-minded choice to the Suffolk Electorate, outside of the stale political boxes we now have.”

Mr Ereira-Guyer, who is a 47 year-old self-employed charity consultant, added: “My target is to win despite the current electoral system and despite the tradition of local electors used to just rolling out of bed and voting Conservative.

“Our task is to draw in Conservative voters and unite those in the centre and the left behind us. I want people who have no affinity with any political party to vote for me.”

In the 2005 election, Tory David Ruffley increased his majority to 9,930 on one of the largest swings in Britain from Labour to the Conservatives. The Greens polled 1,603 and lost their deposit.

The constituency includes Bury St Edmunds, Haughley, Rattlesden, Elmswell, Stowmarket, and Needham Market.