Greens Vote to End Private Landlordism

At its Bournemouth conference the Green Party of England and Wales passed a motion committing the party to “seek the effective abolition of private landlordism,” endorsing measures such as rent controls, an end to buy‑to‑let mortgages, National Insurance on rental income, taxing Airbnbs as businesses, double taxation on empty properties and a land‑value tax. The housing policy is paired with a push to boost council housebuilding, including a proposed state‑owned housing manufacturer and powers for councils to buy rental properties at a discount; the party says the changes would be implemented gradually rather than as an immediate purge of landlords. New Green leader Zack Polanski, elected last month, is emphasising lowering household bills, nationalising public utilities and tackling regional inequality while aiming to expand Green representation in the North and target gains in Yorkshire. Polanski has ruled out a coalition with Labour, and the party says membership has risen sharply; he used media appearances at the conference to push a broader, more populist platform beyond traditional environmental issues.