Thomas Daw, a Green Party councillor for Wrington, Elections Officer for the South West Green Party and MP candidate for Weston-super-Mare, is passionately committed to addressing some of the most pressing issues facing the UK today, from homelessness and housing to environmental sustainability. During a recent interview, Daw shared his vision for tackling the housing crisis, supporting families in need and creating a more just and equitable society.
Homelessness and Housing
Q: How do you plan to address the rising issue of homelessness and rough sleeping and improve private rentals?
Thomas Daw: One of the biggest challenges we face is the housing crisis. The current planning system makes it difficult for people to build homes, and large developers often prioritise profit over the right kind of housing. When I was running for election I wanted to stay very close to local authorities to help them build more housing, particularly social housing, and make social renting more accessible, as it’s a great model because it provides temporary housing where people can stay, find employment and improve their situation.
We have so many opportunities in areas like Weston to develop brownfield sites and repurpose buildings above shops, so relaxing planning laws could make it easier for local authorities to build more homes in these spaces.
Another solution is to buy back redundant buildings, retrofitting them to meet housing needs. The Green Party had a great slogan: “The right homes, in the right place, at the right price.” I don’t think we can achieve that with large developers. It’s about more local-based building.
Also, with international airports nearby, second homes and Airbnb rentals sit empty much of the time. We could incentivise owners to sell these properties by increasing council taxes, similar to what’s being done in Wales. But we have to be careful with how quickly we build, as a housing market crash could hurt homeowners and create bigger financial problems.
It’s all about creating a sustainable market that supports both homeowners and renters. Housing needs vary from place to place, and local authorities should have more say in what is built to reflect those unique needs.
Child Benefit Cap
Q: What are your views on the two-child benefit cap?
Thomas Daw: I have five younger brothers, and I grew up with my mum for a while. The two-child benefit cap caused a lot of hardship for families, including mine. It’s an obscene measure to save money, and it pushes people into poverty, along with the bureaucracy it creates, it just puts families under unnecessary strain.
By limiting benefits in this way, we’re not just affecting financial stability; we’re harming children’s health, education and mental well-being. Poverty leads to a range of issues, like poorer dental health, mental health problems and more. I don’t understand the logic of it, especially since it ends up costing the economy more in the long run. If elected, I would work immediately to bring a motion to Parliament to vote on removing this cap. It’s important for MPs to be transparent about where they stand on this issue.
It’s easy to say things when you’re not in a position of power, but when you’re actually in office, things change. It’s important for people to know where their MPs truly stand on these issues.
Crime
Q: How would you address crime?
Thomas Daw: Crime is a complex issue, and a lot of it is linked to poverty. In Weston, we have one of the highest rates of sexual assault in the country, but speaking to local authorities, it seems that the high reporting rate is a positive thing, meaning that people feel more comfortable coming forward.
To address crime, we need more education and better teaching, and we need to tackle the root causes like poverty. Police resources are overstretched, and the current system doesn’t seem to be working. I believe in community-led policing, where local officers have better knowledge of their communities, ideally, every ward should have a small local police station with officers who are part of that community.
We also need to rethink how we approach drug-related crimes. Legalising marijuana could take the trade away from gangs and create a regulated market, people could buy safely from licensed shops, and we could generate tax revenue that could be reinvested into the community.
The current system is broken. We’re wasting police time and taxpayer money on things that don’t need to be crimes. People shouldn’t be sent to prison for possession of small amounts of drugs. We should focus on rehabilitation, not punishment.
Environment and Sustainable Transport
Q: How would you improve access to sustainable transport like cycling and walking in communities?
Thomas Daw: The key is planning. We need to make sure that infrastructure is in place before housing developments happen. Right now, we often see new housing projects that don’t consider the infrastructure—things like bike lanes or public transport routes—until it’s too late.
We need to stop prioritising cars and sprawl and focus on making public transport a better, more efficient option. For example, the X1 bus route between Weston and Bristol is used by 15% of commuters but makes up only 1% of the vehicles on the road. That’s a much more efficient use of space, and we need to push for more investment in buses and trains.
Public transport should be affordable and available to everyone, not just those who can afford to drive. If we make it easier for people to use buses and trains, more people will choose to, and that’s better for both the environment and the economy.
We need to think about the bigger picture, it doesn’t make sense for a small country like the UK to have four-lane highways everywhere. Public transport can be a much better solution, people shouldn’t feel that they have to rely on cars because alternatives are too expensive or inconvenient.
Corporate Responsibility and Environmental Impact
Q: How do you view the role of big companies in the environmental crisis?
Thomas Daw: It’s not the fault of the public, but rather the big corporations that are driving the environmental damage for profit. Coca-Cola, for instance, is one of the biggest producers of plastic bottles and pollutes massively, it’s cheaper to buy a bottle of Coke than a bottle of water, which leads people to make the more affordable choice, even if it’s harmful to the environment.
Even when people try to recycle, the process is flawed, and much of the plastic ends up in landfills or the ocean. Recycling takes energy, and it’s not as effective as people think. We should be focusing on reducing waste at the source, not just recycling it.
A deposit-return scheme for plastic bottles would hold companies accountable, ensuring they take responsibility for the waste they produce. The money raised could help fund better recycling programs and reduce the burden on local authorities.
One potential way to encourage recycling would be through financial incentives. For example, some bars in Bristol charge an extra £2 for a plastic cup at the start of the night, which is refunded once the cup is returned. This system not only motivates recycling but also benefits people in need—those who may be homeless or jobless—by giving them a chance to collect discarded plastic bottles and return them for cash.
Consumers could receive a reward by returning bottles to designated collection points, possibly integrated into supermarkets or other public areas. This approach could be a win-win, both for the environment and for individuals who rely on these incentives to earn money.
Many products, like bananas, are unnecessarily wrapped in plastic. It’s illogical, and taxing such non-essential packaging could push consumers and businesses to choose more sustainable options. Similar to how higher taxes are applied to more polluting cars, applying taxes on non-essential plastic packaging could motivate both consumers and manufacturers to shift toward eco-friendly alternatives.
NHS and Privatisation
Q: What are your thoughts on involving the private sector to alleviate the NHS backlog?
Thomas Daw: I don’t think privatisation is the right answer. It leads to a system where profit takes precedence over public service, luring away skilled NHS staff by offering higher pay, which only exacerbates the shortage of doctors and nurses, plus, the high costs of private healthcare create an inequality, especially for those without insurance or sufficient funds.
The UK already spends a significant portion of its GDP on the NHS, and moving to a privatised system could worsen the situation by diverting resources to profit-driven corporations rather than benefiting the economy or citizens directly.
Q: How do you feel about asking NHS workers to work extra hours to cover the shortage?
Thomas Daw: It’s an unsustainable solution. Nurses and doctors already work long, intense shifts, and asking them to take on more is a recipe for burnout. Healthcare work demands extreme attention to detail, especially in critical situations, so we need a system that better balances workloads, perhaps by reducing shifts to eight hours and increasing staff numbers. Additionally, investing in the NHS and improving its resources is key to retaining healthcare workers and ensuring a better quality of service for everyone.
Privatisation of Essential Services
Q: What’s your stance on privatising essential services like water and gas?
Thomas Daw: Essential services like water should not be in private hands. These services are natural monopolies, and privatising them often leads to exploitation. Companies profit from providing basic needs, but when things go wrong—like polluting rivers or failing to maintain infrastructure—there’s little accountability. If these services were nationalised, profits could go back into the economy, benefiting the public rather than foreign shareholders. The current model is inefficient and unfair, leaving consumers with high costs for subpar service.
UK’s Relationship with the EU Post-Brexit:
Q: How do you feel about the UK’s relationship with the EU, especially now after Brexit?
Thomas Daw: The UK’s relationship with the EU has certainly shifted since Brexit, and in my view, we’ve lost significant benefits. For instance, the loss of subsidies for farmers is a huge issue—many rely on these subsidies to stay afloat. Without them, farming is becoming increasingly unprofitable. Moreover, the UK’s exit has complicated travel and trade, with longer wait times at borders and added costs. While Brexit was sold as a path to independence, it has limited opportunities and hindered growth. We were much stronger as part of the EU, where collective strength benefits everyone.
Future of Politics and the Green Party:
Q: How do you view your recent political campaign and the future of the Green Party in the UK?
Thomas Daw: The recent election was an eye-opener. I doubled my vote share, which was a promising sign, especially in areas like Weston. The sentiment on the ground was optimistic, with many voters indicating they’d vote Green if they felt safe to do so.
The party’s focus will remain on doubling vote share in the next election, and if we continue on this trajectory, we could see more Green MPs and local councillors. The potential is huge, and I’m excited to see how things unfold.
I’m optimistic about the future of the Green Party. Despite the challenges, we’ve made significant strides, and I’m confident we can make an even bigger impact in the next election. With more campaigning and better resources, we could see real change in our political landscape. But ultimately, it’s about giving people a voice, whether through environmental responsibility or improving public services.
Instagram
X
