As we approach the elections on May 7, London stands at a crossroads. I’ve knocked on a lot of Londoners’ doors over the years, and what strikes me right now is how many people are desperate for something different.
For too long, our city has been let down by both Labour and the Conservatives, whether on housing, local health services or crime. Londoners are rightly disappointed with Labour for failing to deliver the change they promised. And, of course, Londoners still haven’t forgiven the Conservative Party for trashing the economy and breaking our NHS.
Kemi Badenoch even tried to attack the Liberal Democrats for being active in our communities and getting stuff done. It is no wonder so many lifelong Conservative voters are turning to the Liberal Democrats.
This May, Londoners have the chance to elect Liberal Democrats who will work hard for them. We are campaigners who are rooted in our communities and determined to make them better. There has never been a more important time to remind people what Liberal Democrats stand for. Nigel Farage’s Reform UK is trying to drag Britain backwards and bring Donald Trump’s dangerous politics into our communities, sowing division not unity. And where Reform is running councils, it’s nothing short of chaos. Reform councillors resign weeks after being elected, put up taxes after promising to cut them, and slash vital local services.
‘Fresh Start’ for housing
Every vote for the Liberal Democrats is a vote for a strong local champion who will roll up their sleeves and work tirelessly for their community. These local elections are a chance to stand up for Britain at its best, a country where people look out for each other, where public services work, and where politics is about fixing problems, not fuelling differences
That’s why Liberal Democrats focus on what really matters — whether it’s fixing potholes or making sure people feel safe on their streets. People are crying out for proper neighbourhood policing, where communities have visible local officers on patrol.
For decades, Labour and the Conservatives have overseen a terrible housing system in London. I recently joined our local team in Southwark where I saw the human cost of this. Residents showed me the damp, mould, repairs that are desperately needed but left unresolved. Labour’s complacency to build the social housing London needs has left families trapped in inadequate homes. It’s time for change.
That’s why Liberal Democrats will provide a “Fresh Start” for London’s housing, retrofitting homes to slash bills while tackling the climate emergency. Our Fresh Start will place the power back in the hands of local communities over planning to make sure that new developments provide real homes for people who need them.
The same neglect has damaged our health service too. London’s NHS is at breaking point, with unbearably long waits for emergency care and a social care system which is falling apart. We are the only party with a plan to fix it. We are calling for a legal right to see a GP within seven days, or 24 hours in an emergency. A city as great as London also needs a public transport system that works for everyone.
We need to fix the broken bus network in outer London. A healthy city also relies on a healthy environment. As things stand, London’s waterways are being treated like open sewers by water companies. Liberal Democrat candidates across the capital are campaigning for all rivers to reach “Blue Flag” status and for strict penalties to be given to water companies who continue to dump waste into our rivers.
We take your trust seriously
And our commitment to the environment doesn’t stop there. London’s green spaces are part of what makes our city great, so in Merton and Haringey, Liberal Democrats have been leading the charge to reverse the decline of London’s tree canopy. We will work to make neighbourhoods vibrant, green and safe.
While Farage’s Reform Party wants to import American-style culture wars to our doorsteps, we want to bring common sense and accountability. In boroughs like Richmond, Sutton, and in my own constituency of Kingston, we’ve proven that when Liberal Democrats lead, we can build happy and healthy communities.
In many areas across the country, only the Liberal Democrats can beat Reform, replace the tired parties of Labour and the Conservatives, and deliver the change people are crying out for. Liberal Democrats were voted the most trusted party to run local councils last year. That trust is hard-won, and we take it seriously. We listen to local people, put in the hard graft and never take people for granted.
Londoners deserve better — and that’s exactly what the Liberal Democrats are offering. Every vote for a Liberal Democrat councillor on May 7 is a vote for a local champion. Someone who will fix your streets, fight for your health services and tackle the cost-of-living crisis. Someone who will stand up for you and your community. And someone who will get the job done.
Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats
