BBC News
· collected 2026-09-06 · by Damian Grammaticas, Jennifer McKiernan
The deputy leader of the Green Party, Mothin Ali, owns two rental properties in Leeds through his company MA Holdings, which he set up and controls. The properties were purchased in June 2022 and March 2025, before the party adopted a policy to phase out private landlords in October 2025. Ali does not appear to profit from the rentals, according to the Green Party, which claims he acted solely to help vulnerable close family members. Records show that MA Holdings is owned by Ali, who holds more than 75% of the shares, and its business includes letting and managing real estate properties.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Mothin Ali, a 44-year-old Leeds city councillor who serves as co-deputy leader of the Green Party in England and Wales, has been accused of hypocrisy for owning two rental properties despite his party's policy to "abolish landlords". According to reports, Ali purchased the first property, a three-bed former council house, for £165,000 in June 2022, and the second property for £157,000 in March last year. Both homes are occupied by tenants and were bought through his private limited company, MA Holdings. The Green Party has responded to allegations of hypocrisy by claiming that Ali acted "solely in the interests of vulnerable close family members" when setting up the company and purchasing the properties.
Written for “Green Party Landlord Scandal” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
- Published
The deputy leader of the Green Party, Mothin Ali, is linked to two buy-to-let properties, despite his party's opposition to private landlords.
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leader → publish → landlords
Ali is the sole director of a company, which he set up and controls, that owns two rental properties in Leeds, bought in June 2022 and March 2025 - although he does not appear to profit from either of them.
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he → set → them
The property purchases happened before the Greens adopted a policy committing to phasing out ownership of rental properties by private landlords in October 2025.
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Greens → happen → October
The Green Party told the BBC that, at the time Ali had set up the company, and since, he "has acted solely in the interests of vulnerable close family members for whom he has caring responsibilities".
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he → tell → responsibilities
Ali's connection to the rental properties via real estate company MA Holdings, which purchased them with buy-to-let mortgages, was first reported by the Times newspaper.
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which → purchase → newspaper
Records held by Companies House show that Ali is the sole director of MA Holdings, incorporated in December 2021, and he is listed in the records as the sole person with significant control, owning more than 75% of the shares.
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he → hold → shares
The company's business includes "buying and selling of own real estate", "letting and operating of own or leased real estate" and "management of real estate on a fee or contract basis".
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business → include → basis
The BBC has spoken to the previous owner and resident of the second property, who confirmed that Ali's company had purchased the property and believed it was bought with the intention to be let out.
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it → speak → intention
Asked why MA Holdings owns the rental properties, a Green Party spokesperson said: "We have provided deeply personal information to the BBC in confidence which shows that Councillor Ali has acted solely in the interests of vulnerable close family members for whom he has caring responsibilities.
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he → ask → responsibilities
"At Councillor Ali's request, we are not going to make this information public to protect his family."
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information → go → family
The BBC is not publicising the personal information shared with it, at the request of the Greens, as it relates to private family matters.
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it → publicise → matters
In October last year, delegates to the Green Party's annual conference, passed a motion titled "Abolish landlords", external, headed "the private rental sector has failed, it is a vehicle for wealth extraction, funnelling money from renters to the landlord class".
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it → pass → class
The motion states: "The effective abolition of private landlordism and the private rented sector, coupled with the mass expansion of council housing, is the only way to end the housing crisis."
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abolition → state → crisis
This is now official policy for the Green Party of England and Wales, with a plan to increase regulation and taxes on private rentals to make it difficult for landlords to make a profit, while boosting housebuilding by councils.
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landlords → increase → councils
The policy would use existing Green policies such as imposing rent controls, ending buy-to-let mortgages and giving councils the right to buy a rental property when it is sold at a discounted price.
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it → use → price
Asked whether Ali had sought to take any steps since the policy had been adopted to change anything with regard to the rental properties, a Green Party spokesperson told the BBC he fully supported the policy.
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he → ask → policy
"The policy does not literally seek to abolish landlords, but rather to put in more regulations and taxes on private rentals through measures such as rent controls and expanded social housing," they said.
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they → seek → controls
"All of which Mothin Ali supports.
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Ali → support → which
When the policy was introduced, Green Party MP Carla Denyer told the BBC "while the motion to conference had an eye-catching name, it does not actually 'abolish' landlords".
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it → introduce → landlords
"It does, however, address the housing crisis, empowers tenants and improves their wellbeing," she added.
"
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she → address → wellbeing
It contains a range of policies which, over time, would reduce the proportion of the housing market that is privately rented, and increase the proportion of socially rented homes.
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that → contain → homes
It'll be delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
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It → deliver → inbox
