The Wales Green Party has launched its manifesto for the upcoming Senedd election, presenting a sweeping agenda centered on housing affordability, public transport, and environmental protection. Party leader Anthony Slaughter announced the proposals at a launch event in Port Talbot, framing them as solutions to what he called "decades of exploitation" and "managed decline."
At the heart of the 43-page document are plans to tackle the cost-of-living crisis through immediate housing interventions. The Greens propose a one-year rent freeze, followed by the establishment of local "rent pressure zones" where councils could cap rents to maintain affordability. Rent increases would only be permitted when landlords make genuine improvements, particularly those boosting energy efficiency.
"Everyone has a right to a safe, warm, affordable secure home. That isn't the case for so many people. It is so precarious, especially for younger people," Slaughter emphasized, identifying housing as his party's top priority.
The manifesto also includes commitments to ban no-fault evictions—already prohibited in Scotland and soon in England—and to build 60,000 social homes over the next decade.
In transportation, the Greens promise dramatic changes: £1 bus fares for adults aged 22 to 59, and free travel for everyone under 22. Slaughter estimated the policies would cost £315 million over three years. Currently, only 16- to 21-year-olds qualify for £1 fares in Wales.
Other key pledges include:
- Replacing council tax with a land value tax
- Ending corridor care in hospitals by making stays exceeding 24 hours a "never event"
- Bringing Welsh Water back into public ownership
- Introducing universal childcare from nine months
- Establishing clear wildlife protection goals
- Extending free school meals to secondary schools
While the Greens acknowledge they're unlikely to form the next Welsh government, they hope their policies will influence post-election negotiations. Opinion polls suggest the party could elect its first-ever Senedd members in this election.
When asked about potential unintended consequences of rent controls—such as reduced housing availability—Green candidate Tessa Marshall acknowledged "obviously a risk," but defended the rent freeze as a necessary first step.
Slaughter declined to specify which policies would be non-negotiable in potential coalition talks, but made clear that addressing housing affordability remains paramount for his party as Wales approaches its next parliamentary term.