Zack Polanski launched the Green Party’s local election campaign in Deptford on Thursday morning to a packed room of energetic Green Party candidates and campaigners.
In a speech kicking off the party’s campaign for the 7th May elections, Zack outlined the party’s hopes for record success in May, took aim at Labour’s failure in local and national government, and highlighted Green successes in creating affordable housing for local people.
Labour’s cosy £2000 dinner for developers
After condemning the Labour government’s record in Government – including its inaction in the face of Israel’s latest devastating attack on Lebanon – Zack zeroed in on Labour’s housing failures locally and nationally.
Citing local Labour councils’ failure to deliver sufficient social and affordable housing – and to even maintain existing social homes to a liveable standard – Zack also criticised Labour’s cosy relationship with housing industry lobbyists.
There was a special mention for Housing Secretary Steve Reed, who recently invited developers to join him for a chat over a £2000 a head dinner.
Zack suggested it wasn’t just a dinner and a chat with the Starmer-loyalist and former Labour Together man that developers were paying for… “They were spending it to make sure the MPs, and the ministers and the secretaries who make the decisions, they’re in their ear… It is outrageous and it is time for change.”
“And that change is coming in 28 days time”
But it’s not all doom and gloom. After exposing the rot that runs right through Labour from the Housing Secretary’s lobbying lunches down to the decaying social homes of Labour-led councils, Zack pointed to the change that is coming in just four weeks’ time.
On 7th May, voters across the country will have a chance to vote for grafting Green representatives with a commitment to residents’ top priorities and a track record of getting stuff done.
The Green Party’s newest MP, Hannah Spencer, was in the room for the campaign launch, and Zack made sure to shout out her extraordinary victory in Gorton and Denton and the work she is already getting done in Parliament (Hannah founded a cross-party group on fuel poverty in her first week on the job!)
While Hannah the plumber has spent her life fixing people’s homes, Zack made a point of highlighting the excellent track record of Greens who are getting them built.
Greens in administration in Lewes have built hundreds of council homes for the local community – while Greens in Bristol helped the council break records for new affordable housing just last year.
The party of renters
The Green Party’s commitment to affordable housing doesn’t end at building council and social homes. Private renters are too often forced to pay over the odds for poorly maintained, leaky homes – making them expensive to rent, and expensive to run.
Greens elected in May – such as Mayoral Candidates Zoë Garbett and Liam Shrivastava who spoke at the launch – 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…), Anthony Slaughter’s Greens have proposed a 1-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.
Greens vs Reform. Hope vs hate.
Speaking at the launch, Zack made clear just what is at stake in May: “This election is between the Green Party and the Reform Party. It is a straight up a battle between hope and hate.”
Describing Nigel Farage’s billionaire-backed party as the “the party of war, the party of high bills, the party of corporate backers”, Zack presented the Green Party as the “last stand” against the toxicity of Reform’s politics and delivered a powerful message to voters:
“We can reject the hate of Reform and instead bring in politics that actually benefits people’s lives, that improves their living standards, lowers their bills and redistributes power and wealth from the super wealthy into our communities”.
And if you needed any more evidence that Greens can take on Reform and win, just look to Margate.
On Wednesday, over 400 activists joined Zack to support Green candidate Rob Yates in his campaign to unseat Reform in a by-election for the Cliftonville seat on Kent County Council… And the Green Party pulled off a stunning victory! Hope really can beat hate.
Want to see more Green wins in May? Get involved!
The Green Party is having a moment. Membership has tripled. Polling figures have tripled. So, Zack asked, what does success look like in May?
Well that’s all down to you.
Zack may be “confident but not complacent” that the party will outperform its record-breaking results from May 2023 – but you can remove all doubt.
The Green Party can win big all over the country in May – but we’ll need your help. You can help us replace Labour and defeat Reform. There are action days all over the country. Find one near you and sign up today.
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