Greens promise rent controls in Welsh election manifesto

Greens promise rent controls in Welsh election manifesto18 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleDavid DeansWales political reporterBBCThe Wales Green Party has promised to introduce rent controls to help bring down living costs as it published its manifesto for the Senedd election.Welsh leader Antony Slaughter said his party would freeze rent for a year before giving councils powers to apply caps on what tenants pay.He promised to cap bus fares to £1 for most people, with free travel for under 22s, and to replace council tax.The party does not expect to form the next Welsh government, but hopes its policies could form part of negotiations when the Senedd decides who will be the next first minister.Slaughter declined to say which of any of the party's policies would be a red line in negotiations with other parties hoping to lead the next government, but said that housing was a priority.The Greens say opinion polls show they are on course to get candidates elected to the Senedd for the first time in the history of Wales' parliament.Slaughter told his party's launch in Port Talbot on Tuesday that the manifesto sets out how the party will "turn people's lives around and make a better, fairer future for everyone"."People out there are hurting. People are in despair - people are angry," he said, blaming "decades of exploitation" and "27 years of managed decline" under Welsh Labour."That anger is being used to shape something ugly and divisive," he said."We acknowledge that anger but we are offering solutions to the problems. We are offering answers to the things that trouble them."DEVOLUTION: What does the Senedd do?EXPLAINER: How the new Senedd voting system worksNEW ELECTORAL MAP: What is my constituency?POSTCODE CHECKER: Is there an election in my area?WalesWelsh Parliament election 2026Green Party (England and Wales)UK elections 2026