VOTERS in Burnley, Pendle and Rossen-dale are being urged to go green and change the political hue of East Lancashire in the May elections.

Campaigners have relaunched The Green Party, in the three boroughs, and are looking to field as many candidates as possible in the upcoming polls.

Party supporters are hoping that unease with the Coalition, and distaste with the Labour alternative, will play into their hands.

Leah Jamieson, a party agent who lives in Colne, said: “I think at the moment there is disillusionment with the Coalition, people are looking for options and Labour is not up to the job. The other smaller parties, where protest votes have gone, have not been particularly active either recently.

“Hopefully we can offer an alternative to the main parties and make a difference. We are just getting things off the ground.”

Elsewhere in Lancashire the party has eight Lancaster city councillors and two county councillors, and two seats in Liverpool, but are yet to make in-roads locally.

Stuart Oxbrow, the party’s area co-ordinator and Nelson resident, added: “We need more elected Greens who put the needs of people and the environment first.

“The other parties are always pandering to developers, bankers and big business. Enough is enough!”

Next party leaders, who have been encouraged after conducting a low-key launch in Burnley and Pendle, will be looking to publish its candidates list.

The party will be holding its next meeting at Nelson Town Hall on Thursday, March 22, from 7pm and new members are welcome to attend.