GREEN Party leader Natalie Bennett was in town on Monday, telling independent retailers she was against the £150 million Worcester Woods complex.

But the Aussie, who amusingly described yours truly as "vaguely familiar", may have more in common with Labour than any Green would prepare to admit.

On Twitter she proudly declared she was backing the '#no2worchesterwood' campaign - echoing Labour MP Chuka Umunna's famous balls-up in memorably calling Worcester 'Wichita' during a 2014 BBC interview.

Doh!

* BEWARE the Red Dragon was last week's key message from Labour's Richard Udall, who is sick of the Tories "cosying up" to Chinese delegates.

But before he takes his crusade against "totalitarian" tyrants too far, he might want to brush up on the forces behind Worcestershire's increasingly close links with China.

Two years ago a key delegation went on a crucial trade mission to see Chinese investors, paving the way for today's 'Sister City Agreement' with Hezhou.

Among those despatched to forge links with so-called despots?

Adrian Gregson - Worcester City Council's ex-leader who runs the Labour group.

* ONE politician caught up in Worcestershire's M5 chaos earlier this month was Councillor John Campion, who told the world about his seven hours stuck in gridlock blow-by-blow 'live' on social media.

The man trying to become new police and crime commissioner managed 12 tweets while stuck on the motorway - let's hope the engine was off and keys out, eh?

* FORMER Mayor of Worcester David Tibbutt retired from the city council two years ago - but the doctor just can't stay away.

The ex-councillor has plastered leaflets all around Battenhall describing himself as the Conservative's 'Battenhall campaigner', which sounds suspiciously like an election pitch.

Are we that close to May already?

* YOU may have heard shops in Worcester face £100 fines for leaving rubbish bags outside all night, which will come as a relief to one councillor.

Roger Knight, the city's Mayor, has told a wonderful tale of one Conservative who was ambling down The Shambles the other week and saw what can only be described as "bin juice" splattered across the floor.

Upon stepping on extremely loose paving, the filthy fluid emanating from said rubbish bags then shot up his trouser leg.

Feeling thirsty?