Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay speaking at the Green Party's 2022 local election launch

The Green Party of England and Wales has today launched its local election campaign, under the banner of ‘Fairer, Greener Communities’. Party co-leaders Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay launched the campaign at Central Hill housing estate – a London estate facing demolition through ‘regeneration’ plans by Lambeth Council. At the launch, they highlighted the Greens’ policies on home insulation and retrofitting as a means to address the cost of living crisis.

Speaking at the launch, Denyer said,

In the middle of this cost of living crisis, we know what needs to be done and yet the government is falling so chronically short.

On top of that, Labour and Conservative-run councils up and down the country are not listening to what residents want. The Labour council here in Lambeth want to knock down this estate [and] displace families and friends from their community.

As a result they have simply neglected these buildings for a decade. And they are forcing people to live in constant fear of losing their homes, with all the physical and mental trauma that brings.

Denyer went on to talk about the Greens’ proposed vision for housing. The Green Party is standing on a platform of a mass insulation and retrofitting programme and point towards the record of Greens in administration in local councils across the country. This includes Lewes District Council, which the Greens claim is “leading the way” on insulation. Plans in Lewes are underway to retrofit 40,000 council homes, in partnership with six other local authorities.

The Greens also point to Stroud District Council, where the party is also in administration. There, the Council is committing £180m to retrofit its 5,000 council houses.

At the launch, Denyer said,

Greens have another plan. Not to discard these homes, but to upgrade them. Insulation programmes don’t sound very glamorous but what they can deliver is nothing short of incredible. Imagine – a warm, snug home even on the coldest days. Little to no heating bill at all. A neighbourhood that has nearly zero emissions.

That’s what Greens are pushing for here alongside residents.

Ramsay added to Denyer’s comments, saying that the Greens commitment to action on insulation showed the party was centred on “fairness and community”. Ramsay said,

That’s what Greens are all about – fairness and community, sensible, practical solutions, and protecting the places we live and the people we care about.

Local Green Councillor Pete Elliott has been working with the people who live in this neighbourhood. Living and breathing the Green value of community first – that more power should be in the hands of the people who are impacted by the decisions made. And why is Pete doing that?

Because he thinks it’s fair that everyone should have a warm home. He thinks it’s fair that no-one should feel terrified of their next energy bill. And he thinks it’s fair and right that we should take the steps needed to protect the natural world.

Local elections are taking place across England, Wales and Scotland on May 5.

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