"It is time we had an MP -- it is long overdue," Green candidate for Dulwich and West Norwood Jenny Jones said at the launch of the party's manifesto.

The party has put forward about 200 candidates and will target disaffected Labour voters estranged by the war in Iraq.

"It turns out Saddam Hussein did not have weapons of mass destruction," Lewisham Deptford candidate Darren Johnson said.

"Yet we know who does have weapons of mass destruction -- our own government. We will scrap those ... and put the money where it is needed into improving public services and tackling environmental problems."

The Greens also want to divert 30 billion pounds budgeted for road-building by Labour to inspire a shift to more environmentally friendly forms of transport.

"This approach favours the public over the private, and ranks modes of transport in the following hierarchy: walking, cycling, trains, rail freight, trams and buses; road freight; private car," the party said in its manifesto.

Yet the party's front-runner put the campaign in perspective.

"We are not going to be in power on May 6," Brighton candidate Taylor said. "But if we gain ground in parliament we are going to be making these points loud and clear."