THE Green Party in the South West said it was poised to win its first seat in the European Parliament as the growing scandal over MPs' expenses drove voters to seek a "clean" alternative.

Green Members of the European Parliament have put themselves above temptation by having all their expenses managed by an independent trust.

"There is palpable anger on the streets of Plymouth," Ricky Knight, the Greens' lead candidate in the South West, said yesterday as he launched the party's manifesto for the election on June 4.

"The electorate is very volatile. The anger, frustration and disillusionment has been building, at least since the Iraq War. We are on the crest of a breaking wave.

"In a week, our support in the opinion polls has doubled from 6 per cent to 12 per cent."

The region will return six MEPs to the European Parliament, one fewer than at the last election in 2004.

Seats are allocated through a system of proportional representation, with parties fielding a slate of up to six candidates.

David Taylor, who is sixth on the Green list, said: "Greens in the European Parliament have an excellent record.

"All their expenses are managed by an independent trust and they tithe 10 per cent of their earnings back to the party.

"They have the highest attendance record of any party."

Roger Creagh-Osborne, second on the party's list of six, told the launch in the Chestnut Tree cafe on Plymouth's Barbican: "The Green Party has been around a long time and we now have a lot more to say than just environmental messages.

"We care about people as well as the planet."

Mr Creagh-Osborne, 57, who works at Plymouth University, said the party was growing rapidly in the South West.

A recent YouGov opinion poll showed 34 per cent of the electorate would consider voting Green.

"What is going to make those 34 per cent actually vote Green is a number of the issues that are now coming to the fore, such as Parliamentary expenses," said Mr Creagh-Osborne, who chairs Landulph Parish Council in South East Cornwall.

The Green Party's manifesto, unveiled in Plymouth yesterday, held "real solutions to the problems we face", said Mr Knight.

The party promised massive investment in "green collar jobs", particularly the renewable energy sector.

The Greens back offshore wind power and tidal technology such as the wave hub off the Cornish coast.

They oppose a Severn barrage, but want to see the tidal energy in the area tapped through "tidal lagoons".

"If we were in power, we would retro-fit all properties in the UK that need insulation," said Mr Knight.

Dr Richard Lawson, a semi-retired GP in North Somerset who was one of the first Greens elected to local authorities, said the Greens now had strong appeal for voters from other parties.

"We take the best from Socialism, Liberal Democracy and the Conservatives, but bring them into a greater whole," he said.

Mr Knight said their biggest rival on June 4 was likely to be the United Kingdom Independence Party.

"UKIP goes to Brussels without a positive message at all. They take the money and run," he said.

The best tactical vote in a regional list election was more likely to be a Green vote, to ensure the Greens stayed ahead of the BNP and denied it the final seat in the region, he added.