Green Party launch manifesto with pledge to build 12,000 affordable homes

The Wales Green Party is launching its manifesto with a pledge to “secure Wales’ future” by building 12,000 affordable homes.

It will also be promising a community model for healthcare and will be advocating for a Universal Basic Income at its launch today.

They say their Green Transformation Fund will invest locally in communities and create tens of thousands of Green jobs.

The manifesto details a ten-point Green Guarantee, covering their proposed vision for Wales:

• Green New Deal and the Economy: Public spending to support the economy must prioritise green jobs, tackling the intersecting crises of high unemployment, high rates of poverty and the climate emergency. Our Green Transformation Fund for Wales will raise the finance necessary for the urgent measures needed to tackle these crises. Advocating for a universal basic income would ensure prosperity is shared across society.
• Housing: Building 12,000 new homes to the highest environmental and energy efficiency standards. The majority of these will be social housing to address the urgent lack of decent, affordable homes.
• Health and Care: Committed to safeguarding the NHS as a free service and taking a more joined up approach to health and social care. Ensuring health boards and local authorities have the funding needed to increase capacity to be able to properly support their communities, and move to a community model so that everyone can receive the care they need locally.
• Education: Widen access to higher and further education, ensuring that no fees are payable for initial degrees. Providing access to electronic devices for all children who need to learn from home, and access to structured programmes of work if they are unable to attend school.
• Energy: Creating an innovative green energy economy, financed by a Green Transformation Fund for Wales. Prioritise community scale renewable energy projects supporting jobs creation and opportunities for local communities.
• Transport: Create better, affordable, cleaner transport options for all including access to better walking, cycling and active travel options and affordable public transport.
• Welsh Language and Culture: Promote the use of Welsh to safeguard and create bilingual communities where the Welsh language can thrive. Ensure that the arts have a key place in all community economy plans, linking cultural venues to local economic recovery.
• Democracy and Local Government: Oppose the post-Brexit Westminster power grab and all attempts to recentralise control of development funds for Wales. Strengthen local democracy through increased citizen engagement in citizen’s juries, people’s assemblies, and similar bodies.
• International: Support the aspiration for an independent and fully democratic Wales, bringing decision making to those people most affected by those decisions. Continue to work to strengthen our bonds with our European neighbours, promoting future positive opportunities and tackling the damage caused to Wales by Brexit.
• Climate Emergency and Nature Crisis: Net zero carbon by 2030, replacing fossil fuels with onshore and offshore renewable energy and making necessary upgrades to the electricity grid.

‘Sensible plan’

Amelia Womack, Deputy Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, lead candidate on the South Wales East regional list, as well as constituency candidate for Newport West, said “I am proud to announce an exciting manifesto which presents a sensible plan to ensure Wales has a secure future.

“As we recover from the devastating impact of Covid-19, it is clear we cannot simply return to business as usual.”

“With the fairer voting system on the second, regional ballot in these elections, we know that Greens can be elected – and must be, otherwise there’s a risk that far-right parties will be elected instead, whose only goals seem to be to disrupt Welsh democracy.”

“With Labour not able to win a regional seat in almost all of Wales, it’s vital people who traditionally vote Labour lend this vote to the Greens, ensuring accountability in the Senedd, and keeping out far-right parties.”

Anthony Slaughter, leader of Wales Green Party, lead candidate on the South Wales Central regional list, and standing in the Vale of Glamorgan, said “We just have to look at Scotland, and the incredible impact Greens have had in Holyrood to see the difference a group of Green voices make in parliament.

“I look forward to seeing pragmatic but far-sighted Greens taking seats in the Senedd this May, standing up for local communities, and a resilient future for Wales.”

“Our manifesto sets out a bold but achievable plan, to ensure we can support everyone living in Wales, whilst simultaneously protecting our planet.”