BROMSGROVE has been highlighted as one of the most closely contested seats in the General Election -- according to a report by an independent electoral monitoring group.

The town is one of only 214 constituencies where the most recently elected MP is not virtually guaranteed re-election, according to the Electoral Reform Society (ERS).

The society, which campaigns for a proportional representation voting system, identified the town as a constituency where there will be a genuine contest in its report, New Parliament, Same Old Faces.

In contrast, it said 445 of the country's 659 seats in Parliament are so safe the voters there will be largely ignored in the coming campaign.

ERS, which has monitored UK elections for 117 years, said this is the highest number of safe seats in electoral history.

Factors such as the majority at the last election, current opinion polls and the voting history of the constituency were taken into account to identify in which seats the vote was a foregone conclusion.

Conservative MP Julie Kirkbride won the town's seat in 1997 with a majority of 4,845.

The society said the major parties were likely to tailor their policies to appeal to the voters of constituencies hanging in the balance.

A spokesman said: "It doesn't mean we think Bromsgrove will change hands, just that it might.

"It means Bromsgrove is lucky. There will be a real election happening in the town, unlike some seats which are so safe the parties will ignore them."

Conservative candidate Julie Kirkbride said: "On the basis of current opinion polls, even with a 20-point lead for Labour nationally, the Conservative Party will still comfortably hold Bromsgrove.

"I don't take the people of Bromsgrove for granted and I will be working hard on my record as their MP to be re-elected on June 7."

Labour candidate Peter McDonald said: "I have always believed that Bromsgrove is not a safe seat. We only need a swing of 2,500 votes from 1997's results to win. My record as a county councillor and a district councillor is there for everyone to see.

"But I think the jury is still out on proportional representation."

Liberal Democrat candidate Margaret Rowley said: "I would welcome a good contest.

"I do think it's wide open. I don't think it's certain that the Conservative will be returned."

But she added the town would benefit from proportional representation to reduce voter apathy and make sure every vote counted.

UK Independence party candidate Ian Gregory said a majority of nearly 5,000 would be hard to beat.

He said: "I hope it does encourage people to vote because at the moment people perceive that there is no choice."