Zack Polanski to call for three-year cap on private rent rises

The Green Party of England and Wales is billing the gathering in Brighton as its biggest ever, after announcing earlier this year that its membership had tripled since Polanski's election as leader just over a year ago.

According to the party, he will also argue pressure from the Greens has forced Labour into a change of political direction on some issues.

The Green conference follows the party gaining hundreds of councillors earlier this year at England's local elections and its fifth MP, Hannah Spencer, in the Makerfield by-election.

But there are signs its rise in national polls may have stalled in recent months, while the party also faces questions over how to react to Labour's change of leadership under Andy Burnham.

In his speech, Polanski is expected to say generations are having to live with their parents because of rent prices, from 19-year-olds commuting to university, 25-year-olds unable to find a job, to 35-year-olds moving back home with their partners.

He will urge the government to prevent private rents rising above whichever is lowest out of the consumer price index measure of inflation, wage growth or 2%, for three years.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies has previously warned that rent controls - an issue the Greens have long campaigned for - would result in