The Conservative candidate standing in the region's newest parliamentary constituency has attempted to play down the Greens' chances of winning there.

Richard Rout, Tory candidate for the cross-border Waveney Valley seat, said the battle there is between his party and Labour - although the Greens strongly disagree.

Richard RoutRichard Rout (Image: Richard Rout)

The newly-created division takes in parts of Norfolk such as Diss, Harleston and Bunwell, plus Suffolk settlements such as Bungay, Eye and Halesworth.

It is one of the Green's target seats, but Mr Rout, deputy leader of Suffolk County Council said their chances were being overplayed.

He said: "All of the national polling and our polling suggests it's between us and Labour. The Greens are working hard, but the most recent polls have us in front."

Adrian Ramsay, Green candidate for Waveney ValleyAdrian Ramsay, Green candidate for Waveney Valley (Image: Paul Geater)

However, Green candidate Adrian Ramsay, said: "All the data from our door-to-door canvassing shows that it will be very close between Conservatives and Green here in this constituency, with Labour a distant third."

He said national polling did not take into account local factors, such as the Greens' local election successes in Mid Suffolk.

He said tactical voting sites, such as Best for Britain, were urging people to vote Green to stop the Conservatives.

READ MORE: Greens say Waveney Valley 'amazing opportunity' in GE2024

With Labour ahead in national polls, Mr Rout acknowledged that, if he does win in Waveney Valley, he might find himself in opposition.

He said: "People don't vote for MPs who want to be national figures. They want to vote for someone from the area, who will shout for them and bang on doors for them.

"That is what I would do. Whoever is running the government, I would be making an absolute nuisance of myself on behalf of people in Waveney Valley."

Diss is in the new Waveney Valley constituencyDiss is in the new Waveney Valley constituency (Image: Archant Norfolk Photographic © 2015)

Along with the political hot potato issue of pylons, Mr Rout said priorities included more support for market towns, backing farmers, tackling issues with a lack of GPs and NHS dentists, crime and policing and improving water quality.

Mr Rout, who has a grandfather from Norfolk and one from Suffolk, sat on the fence when asked whether he supported Norwich City or Ipswich Town. He said he supported neither, but liked Diss Rugby Club.

READ MORE: Norfolk and Waveney General Election 2024 candidate list

Other Waveney Valley candidates are Scott Huggins (Reform UK), Dr Gurpreet Padda (Labour), Maya Severyn (Social Democratic Party) and John Shreeve (Liberal Democrats).