The Green Party has called itself “the party of renters.”

In its campaign material for the May 7 local elections in England it says private renters are too often forced to pay over the odds for poorly maintained, leaky homes.

This makes them expensive to rent and expensive to run, the organisation claims.

Its manifesto says: “Greens elected in May [including Mayoral candidates] will use their voice to pressure the Labour government to give local authorities the power to introduce rent controls to curb overheating rents in their area.

“In Wales, where the Senedd already has that power (but Welsh Labour hasn’t used it) Greens have proposed a one-year rent freeze while a system of rent controls is developed.

“This would spare renters another unaffordable rent hike at a time when all their other bills and costs are only going up. In England, the path to rent controls may be longer, but renters can trust that elected Greens will continue to lead the way in the campaign against Labour and the landlord lobby.”

The Green Party also claims a surge in membership of its youth wing – Young Greens – has made it one of the biggest organisations of its kind in Europe.

Over 50,000 people afed under 29 are in the Young Greens of England and Wales, and they have made housing and the climate crisis as their main policy interests. 

The Green Party overall currently has over 226,000 members of all ages.