Greens Prioritise Housing and Rent Controls in Local Election Campaign Launch
Greens Launch Local Election Campaign with Housing Focus
The Green Party has officially launched its local election campaign, with leader Zack Polanski lambasting the government's performance on delivering affordable and social housing. Speaking in Lewisham, south-east London, a key target area for the Greens, Mr Polanski also reiterated calls for the implementation of rent controls across the capital.
The party enters the election period with renewed momentum following their recent Westminster by-election victory in Gorton and Denton, where they secured a seat with Labour finishing in third place behind Reform UK. Mr Polanski suggested that local elections nationwide would reflect this dynamic, characterising the contest between the Greens and Reform as a "straight up battle between hope and hate."
Housing Policy and Developer Scrutiny
Mr Polanski accused the Labour Party of being unduly influenced by housing developers, prioritising luxury properties over much-needed affordable and social homes. While clarifying he was not anti-developer, he expressed opposition to "excess profits," advocating for a "hybrid picture" that includes more council-run house builders to ensure the construction of cheaper homes.
He stated, "Ultimately, houses should be built as homes and not for profits that are then sold to foreign investors where we have luxury, unaffordable buildings that no-one's living in, that's not sustainable at all." The Green Party also pledged to abolish the "feudal" leasehold system and introduce national rent controls if they form a government, granting individual councils the power to cap excessive rents.
Labour, however, countered these claims, with a spokesperson accusing Green councillors of attempting to block new homes and failing on their housing pledges where in power. They asserted that Labour is committed to investing in new homes and has introduced the Renters' Rights Act.
Broader Policy Stance
Beyond housing, Mr Polanski also used his platform to criticise Labour's perceived complicity in the Israeli bombardment of Lebanon and condemned the government for its inaction on sanctions, calling for the UK to disengage from the US and Israel's Middle East conflict.
