Kate Spohrer was selected at a special selection meeting on Thursday (8th March). She lives in Wolverley, and she shops and works locally. Ms Spohrer recently made the decision to step out of the traffic jams she was sitting in on her journey to work in the Black Country, and start her own business working from home.

She says: "I firmly believe that quality of life can be greatly improved by a more simple lifestyle, and that many more people would make this step, if only they had the confidence to do so. Sadly, however, the other main political parties keep preventing ordinary people from being able to make these choices, because economically they simply don't allow us the choices, preferring to keep people in a povery trap or in the rat race than enable them to get started on a more wholesome, healthy, locally based working life. If this is something you are interested in you need to vote Green."

Ms Spohrer stood in Wolverley, Cookley & Wribbenhall division in the Worcestershire County Council elections in 2005. She has twice contested Aggborough & Spennells ward (Wyre Forest District Council), in a by-election in 2005, and the full council elections in 2006. She was also parliamentary candidate in the South Staffordshire constituency in 2005, campaigning against the extension of Wolverhampton airport. Kate is a founder member of Wyre Forest Green Party.

This will be the first time that the Green Party has contested the parliamentary seat of Wyre Forest. The general election could be as far away as 2010, but there has been talk of a 'snap' general election later this year. In the European Parliamentary elections in 2004, the Green Party scored 1,698 votes here in Wyre Forest.

At the selection meeting, Kate Spohrer said:”I am particularly concerned about the effects our modern transport and shopping habits are having on our health, environment and well-being. These are the main issues I will campaign on, both before and during the general election.

“Green transport policies put disabled people and pedestrians at the top of the hierarchy, followed by cyclists and public transport. Thanks to high levels of traffic, pollution in Kidderminster centre is much higher than is safe to breathe, affecting all who live, work, study and shop here. And they are a major cause of climate change.

“This is not just a question of transport, but also of planning. Facilities should be accessible to all who need them without excessive travel. We need to support local businesses in Wyre Forest and more facilities should be provided locally, not in distant developments using up green fields outside communities.”

Said Ms Spohrer:”Judging by our rising share of the vote across the West Midlands, more and more local people are fed up with the other main parties, and are turning to us in ever larger numbers. People now have an alternative to the ‘business-as-usual’ policies of the other main parties, a party that has social justice and sustainability at its heart – the Green Party.”