Gay human rights activist Peter Tatchell has been chosen as the Green Party's candidate to fight Oxford East at the next election.

The controversial Australian-born former Labour Party member is now hoping to become the Green's first MP, ousting Labour's Andrew Smith who has a majority of just under 1,000.

Mr Tatchell, who stood as a Labour candidate in London more than 20 years ago, beat local resident and campaigner Matt Morton for the chance to represent the Greens.

Mr Tatchell told the Oxford Mail he would move to London Road in the city if he were successful.

He said that the key issues he will be campaigning on are saving Radley Lakes, the Jericho Boatyard, against the Westgate shopping centre expansion and to try and stop the upcoming 600 redundancies in the NHS.