I HAD to check it wasn’t April Fools’ Day when I learned the Green Party were emphasising housing as part of their election campaign (April 16).

I can barely remember an occasion when housing has been proposed and the Greens haven’t been bopping up and down trying to oppose it the moment there is a hint they might get a few votes by doing so.

They are great at saying – in very general terms – they would like more housing, but the moment there is a concrete proposal, they come up with a million reasons why they are against it.

At our last city council meeting, they put forward a motion saying there was a housing crisis, and that there should be a meeting to talk about this. Labour councillors proposed an amendment, saying that, rather than having a meeting, it would be better to support expanding Oxford outwards.

Funnily enough, yet again, this was too much for the Greens, who either voted against or abstained (as interested readers will see from the minutes on the council website).

I have no doubt this will draw lots of objection from the Greens, but the truth is that their embarrassing record when it comes from supporting housing speaks for itself.

Cllr ED TURNER
Rose Hill and Iffley Ward, Oxford City Council
Nowell Road
Oxford