The Green Party's deputy leaders addressed members during day two of their conference in Brighton, focusing on a new policy proposed by party leader Zach Polanski: a three-year emergency brake on private rents. This includes preventing rent increases above the rate of wage growth or 2%, whichever is lower, prohibiting sudden hikes and evictions under the guise of rent rises. Additionally, the Greens aim to implement a national Fair Rents Guarantee in the long term to ensure affordable housing for all residents.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-03,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Zack Polanski, leader of The Green Party in England and Wales, called for a three-year cap on private rent increases at his party's conference in Brighton. The proposed "emergency brake" would limit annual rent hikes to either the lowest rate among inflation (measured by Consumer Price Index), wage growth, or 2%. This measure aims to address rising housing costs that have forced many young adults and families to move back home with their parents due to unaffordable rents.
Polanski argued that the policy would reduce the £13.4 billion pounds spent annually on subsidizing high private sector rent through housing benefits, potentially reallocating those funds towards building new council homes and repairing existing stock. The initiative follows a period of increased Green Party membership and electoral success since Polanksi took over as leader last year.
In his speech, Polanski emphasized the Greens' ability to influence Labour policies by securing votes, particularly highlighting the recent delay in government approval for new oil and gas drilling projects due to concerns about losing support to the Greens. He encouraged party members and supporters to vote Green to force Labour towards adopting more progressive measures. However, with Labour's national polls showing signs of weakening, Polanski faces questions on how to maintain this strategy long-term without alienating Labour voters.
Written for “Zack Polanski Green Party Speech” on 2026-10-04,
grounded in this article and the 7 other(s) covering the same event.
Polanski called for rent brakes to give people 'breathing space'
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Polanski → call → space
The Greens’ deputy leaders are due to address members on Day 2 of their conference in Brighton shortly, and we’ll have a live stream of those remarks in the top of our blog.
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we → address → blog
But yesterday, party leader Zach Polanski used his conference speech to introduce a key new policy, calling for a “three-year emergency brake on private rents”.
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Polanski → use → rents
He called for:
No rent rises above CPI wage growth or 2%, whichever is lower.
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whichever → call → growth
That emergency brake would give renters vital breathing space.
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brake → give → space
Let wages begin to catch up with the rents that have outstripped them for far too long.
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that → let → them
And in the long term, we’ll put in place a national Fair Rents Guarantee – to keep rents affordable for everyone, forever.
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we → put → everyone
That doesn’t just mean cheaper homes, it doesn’t just mean government savings.
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it → mean → savings
It will mean that people can stay in the places they love, close to their family and friends.
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they → mean → family
It will mean young people can take those first amazing, exhilarating steps into independence and have full lives waiting for them on the other side.
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people → mean → side
Anti-migrant demonstrations planned in Southampton and Dover
We can also expect anti-migrant demonstrations to be taking place on the south coast this afternoon with police on alert in Southampton and Dover.
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demonstrations → plan → Southampton
A group called South Coast Patriots has organised the protests, and are expected to be met by counter-protesters from the local Southampton Stand Up To Racism group.
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group → call → group
Police have issued a ban on face coverings in the area.
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Police → issue → area
Farage has 'not been believed' on safety fears, says Tice
Meanwhile, Reform leaders this morning have been speaking about the fact that the man acccused of murdering former party spokeswoman Ann Widdecombe has also been charged with a terror plot against Nigel Farage.
Deputy leader Richard Tice told the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme his party leader has “not been listened to” over his safety concerns.
Farage has repeatedly raised the threats against his personal security before, often in the context of justifying or explaining why he’s received significant financial donations.
Tice said: “(Farage’s) security and the risks to it, he’s talked about over over many times, many occasions, over many years.
“
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he → believe → years
And I think what’s particularly upsetting for those of us in and around him is sometimes he’s not being believed, not being listened to, and you know we have just got in a sense, deep regret over everything that’s happened over a long period of time.”
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that → think → time
Police charged Joshua Kerry, 28, with the terror plot on Friday.
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Police → charge → Friday
He already stands accused of the brutal murder of Widdecombe, 78, a former Reform representative and Tory minister, who died on 8 July at her home in Devon.
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who → accuse → Devon
Good morning and welcome to the UK politics live blog where cost-of-living issues are top of mind as diesel surges past £2 a litre for the first time.
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diesel → welcome → time
That’s a 40% increase since the start of the year, meaning the cost of filling up an average family car is now £110, nearly £32 more than before the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran in late February.
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US → ’ → February
The eight-months long war now has choked off key global shipping routes, blocking supplies from Gulf oil producers.
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war → choke → producers
On Friday, G7 countries including the UK bowed to pressure from US President Donald Trump and released 100 million barrels of oil and diesel.
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countries → include → oil
Greens leader Zack Polanski yesterday used his party conference speech yesterday to call for an emergency brake on rent rises.
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Polanski → use → rises
Party deputy leaders today will announce a policy to provide guaranteed jobs for 18-24 year olds.
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leaders → announce → olds
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, ahead of the Conservatives party conference kicking off tomorrow, will also anounce later today a childcare benefit for those on over £100,000.
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Badenoch → kick → 100,000
Meanwhile early word of the flavour of Chancellor John Healey’s first Budget, to be delivered in a few weeks time, suggests it will be a careful one aimed giving reassurance households and businesses, with targeted assistance, as opposed to any major tax or spending hikes.
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it → deliver → hikes
Stick with us and we’ll bring you the latest updates from the ongoing Green party conference, as well as wider political developments.
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we → stick → conference
The Aporia
