Green Party leader Zack Polanski has launched his party's local election campaign with a sharp focus on housing, criticizing both the government and Labour for failing to address the affordability crisis. Speaking in Lewisham, south-east London, Polanski called for national rent controls and the abolition of what he termed the "feudal" leasehold system.
"This is a straight up battle between hope and hate," Polanski told supporters, framing the upcoming local elections across England on 7 May as a contest between the Greens and Reform UK.
The Greens are riding momentum from their recent Westminster victory in the Gorton and Denton by-election, where Labour was pushed into third place. The party now has five MPs—its highest ever number in Parliament—and is targeting record gains in English councils, particularly in London boroughs where they aim to challenge Labour's dominance in Hackney, Lambeth, Islington, and Southwark.
Polanski accused Labour of being "in the pockets" of housing developers and prioritizing luxury housing over affordable and social homes. He also claimed the government had reversed its promise to scrap the leasehold system to please property developers rather than help millions burdened by service charges.
In response, a Labour Party spokesperson countered that Green councillors have attempted to block tens of thousands of new homes. "The Greens oppose housebuilding," the spokesperson said, adding that only Labour is "investing in building new homes, where they're needed" and has implemented the Renters' Rights Act with protections against evictions.
The Greens highlighted their track record in Green-led councils like Lewes and Mid Suffolk, which have built hundreds of new council homes in recent years. The party has pledged to abolish leasehold and introduce rent controls nationally if it gains government power.
Beyond housing, Polanski criticized Labour for its stance on international issues, accusing the party of complicity in the Israeli bombardment of Lebanon and calling for the UK to withdraw from trade deals with Israel. He urged the government to do more to address what he described as Israel acting "like a rogue state."
With the UK's two major parties expected to lose ground in the local elections, the Greens are positioning themselves as a growing force, aiming to capitalize on voter discontent with traditional politics and the ongoing housing crisis.