She's more at home with the ballot box than the beat box but a 43-year-old Euro MP is bidding to become rap's latest star.

Married mother-of-two Caroline Lucas has teamed up with Brixton record producer Charles Bailey to record Paint The Whole World Green, a hip-hop call to arms for the young and disaffected.

With latest research showing fewer than one in five 18 to 25-year-olds intends to vote in the June European elections, Dr Lucas hopes to reach the parts the party political broadcasts cannot reach.

The Green Party MEP for the South-East said: "Politicians must reverse this trend. It is not healthy for democracy and shows the deep-rooted scepticism in the traditional political process.

"Producing this CD with Charles has been a great experience. Although I don't expect to get on Top Of The Pops, I am keen to reach out to new voters."

Dr Lucas follows in the footsteps of a cacophony of politicians who have had a less than harmonious relationship with pop.

Ken Livingstone provided the narration for Blur's Ernold Same on Parklife while Tony Benn has brought out an entire album of speeches set to ambient grooves.

The Special AKA had a memorable hit in the Eighties with Nelson Mandela while Billy Bragg has sold millions of albums of political protest.

Dr Lucas is unlikely to sell as many rap records as that other non-medical doctor, Dr Dre, but she hopes to still have a political career to fall back on after the June elections.

She said: "Recording Paint The Whole World Green is a fun way of getting across a serious message and the song tackled some weighty issues: War in Iraq, foundation hospitals and tuition fees."

Charles Bailey's own route into music began in a second-hand clothing shop in the early Eighties.

The store attracted celebrity customers, including the Bee Gees, and before long he had ditched his job in favour of a musical career.

Most of his work has a political bent, though he has recorded songs for Arsenal, Manchester United and the Fire Brigades Union. His pet project, however, has been getting young people to vote.

He said: "I want people to know there are more than three parties and the Green Party is a serious choice for people in the South-East.

"Caroline is a natural. It is important people hear about the Greens and what better way to capture people's attention than by making a record?"

Paint The Whole World Green is released next month.