A former student of King Alfred's School, Wantage, hopes to become one of the youngest people to win a council seat.

James McGee, 19, of Brunel Crescent, Grove, is standing as a Conservative candidate, and has already been out canvassing with Wantage MP Ed Vaizey.

Changes in legislation lowered the age limit for candidates in local elections from 21 to 18 for the first time. And Mr McGee believes he could be the youngest council candidate in the country.

He is putting himself forward for a Grove seat on the district council, and Charlton ward on Wantage Town Council.

Mr McGee, who will be 20 next month, said: "With my father being in the fire service, it was for him an obligation to become a member of the Fire Brigades' Union. He, along with my mother's family, were all Labour, having come from working class backgrounds, and I spent several occasions with my father on the picket lines fighting for the FBU.

"However, on the year of my 18th birthday, the 2005 General Election was due to take place, and naturally after a Labour upbringing, I voted Labour. It wasn't until after the election that I became interested in politics. I compared all sides, opinions, histories and found that the Conservatives matched my views of life."

He added: "As a young person, I feel it imperative that younger people become involved as I did in politics, because what they vote today could change tomorrow."

The Green Party has selected Chris Goodall, 51, of North Oxford, to fight the Oxford West and Abingdon seat at the next General Election.

His selection coincides with the publication of his new book, How to Live a Low-Carbon Life.

He said: "I'm very honoured to have been chosen. The Green Party is the second most popular party in large parts of this constituency and we'll be putting in a huge effort to do well here."