Zack Polanski calls on Labour to introduce three-year cap on private rent rises in conference speech
Polanski criticised Labour ministers for ‘talking down rent controls against the evidence’
Zack Polanski used his opening speech at Green Party conference to call on Labour to freeze rents for three years.
The Green Party leader said that Andy Burnham should put an “emergency brake” on private rents, banning rent rises above CPI, wage growth or 2%, whichever is lower.
The policy announcement was well-received in the auditorium, prompting cheers and clapping from members.
Polanski said: “That emergency brake would give renters vital breathing space, [and] Let wages begin to catch up with the rents that have outstripped them for far too long.”
In the long-term, the Green Party leader said that in the long-term, the government should bring in a Fair Rents Guarantee “to keep rents affordable to everyone, forever”.
Polanski went on to say that Labour won’t take “these simple, common sense measures unless we force them to”.
He criticised Labour for not backing rent controls, saying “Right now, government ministers go on TV and talk down rent controls against the evidence.
He called it “absurd” to “see Jonathan Reynolds on Question Time say that no economists support rent controls”.
“It shows that they don’t want to take on the powerful vested interests of developers and big landlords,” Polanski said.
In reference to Labour’s failure to ban leaseholds and tackle the “scandalous cost of private rent”, the Green Party leader said: “Let me say this so simply to this government. Slogans without action, half-measure legislation, outdated economic management – it’s just not good enough.”
Reacting to the Greens’ call for rents to be capped, Clara Collingwood, Director at the Renters’ Reform Coalition, said: “Everything the government is doing to tackle the cost-of-living crisis won’t touch the sides if rents continue to rise faster than inflation and wages.
“We really welcome the Green Party’s commitment to tackling this issue head on. It’s in all party’s interest to do so: rent caps are hugely popular, save the government money that can be spent on council house building, and they are good for growth.
“Not even landlords stand to lose much; even a massive reduction of 10% from all rents would only make 2.3 % of landlords unprofitable. Landlords can afford rent caps, the rest of us can’t afford to wait.”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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