The Green Party on Wednesday vowed to build 150,000 new social homes every year, and enact rent controls and free bus travel for under 18s, in manifesto promises paid for in part by a new tax on the wealthy.
The tax would raise £15 billion every year by the end of the next parliament, starting at 1% for assets over £10 million, according to the party, which lost out by just 70 votes to the Liberal Democrats to finish fourth in May’s London mayoral election.
The Greens also vowed to nationalise water companies including troubled Thames Water, and to introduce a £29 billion fund for home insulation to slash energy costs plus £4 billion for other buildings, and £9 billion to promote low-carbon heating including heat pumps.
Rent controls would be decided by local authorities to help deal with the property crisis while the new construction programme would help alleviate shortages including in London, the party said.
The wealth tax would double to 2% on assets of more than £1 billion.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Greens co-leader Adrian Ramsay insisted that it was only fair that those with the “broadest shoulders” contribute more towards frontline services and the low-carbon green transition.
He denied that it would trigger an exodus of the super-wealthy out of Britain after France abandoned a similar policy in 2017, accusing both Labour and the Conservatives of a “conspiracy of silence” over future spending cuts.
But the Greens’ election campaign has been hit by controversy over alleged antisemitism from some of its candidates, including four who were replaced last week.
“I can’t answer a question on every one of the 574 candidates across the country,” Mr Ramsay said when grilled about contentious social media posts by two other people who remain Green candidates, including one in London.
He was unable to say if the pair still enjoyed party backing after they posted anti-Israel comments in response to the Hamas attacks of October 7.
Adam Pugh, standing for the Greens in Lewisham North, posted on X on the day of the terrorist rampage in Israel: “There is no peace without freedom. Resist.”
Another, Kefentse Dennis in Birmingham Perry Barr, appeared to show support for a pro-Palestine demonstration outside Auschwitz concentration camp.
The party launched its manifesto in Brighton, where Caroline Lucas was the sole Green MP in the outgoing House of Commons.
Sian Berry is seeking to succeed her in the Brighton Pavilion constituency, and the party hopes to at least double its count of MPs with co-leader Carla Denyer standing in the new constituency of Bristol Central against Labour frontbencher Thangam Debbonaire.
“Now is the time to be ambitious, not unrealistic,” Ms Denyer said at the launch, insisting the manifesto was “fully costed”.
She added: “We reject an economy based on unfairness and instead embrace a fairer, greener economy.”
