I grew up on a south London council estate, so I know council housing is a lifeline for so many families.
A secure home not only provides peace of mind, but is a foundation to build your life and fulfil your aspirations.
That was certainly the case for my family. Without a council flat, it would’ve been much harder for my parents – a bus driver and a seamstress – to give my brothers, sister and me the stability we needed.
Today, a family like mine would be far more likely to live in private rented accommodation – perhaps at the mercy of a landlord always hiking up the rents or who could force their tenants out at the drop of a hat.
But it doesn’t have to be this way
We can reverse Margaret Thatcher’s damaging legacy – which has meant many council homes sold have not been replaced – by embarking on a new era of council housebuilding.
We’re already doing it in London. Last year, Labour boroughs led the way in starting more new council homes than in any year since 1983.
We also broke the record for affordable housebuilding, starting more than 17,000 genuinely affordable homes.
This shows what can be achieved when Labour are in power and the focus is on building the genuinely affordable homes Londoners need, rather than the luxury apartments and penthouses the Tories always prioritise.
I'm determined to continue this progress so that many more Londoners can have the security of a council home. But the reality is, the enormous strides we've made could all be put at risk.
The choice at the London Mayoral elections on May 6th is between me, someone fully committed to council housing, and Boris Johnson’s Conservative candidate, who is ideologically opposed to them and has repeatedly shown his disdain for working-class communities.
I’ll always stand up for the interests of working-class Londoners, as well as for the needs of our key workers who deserve genuinely affordable housing. If re-elected, I’ll put them first in the queue.
So please, vote for London by voting for Labour on May 6th.
