Towards 2016

We are disappointed that Ken didn’t win, despite leading in the polls nationally we had a clear demonstration that personality politics can affect big city contests. However, Labour has made significant gains on the London Assembly unseating some of Boris’ key lieutenants and came close to removing two more. As our leader Ed Miliband said, we should be pleased with the progress we have made in the country and across the whole of London. We still have a lot more work to do to win back people’s trust. As Leader of the Labour Group on the Assembly, I am confident that by working with our colleagues across London we can build on the progress made last week and play our part in returning Labour representatives at all levels of government.

We ran a positive, progressive campaign, addressing the concerns of ordinary working Londoners who are struggling to make ends meet, and are being hit hard by the government’s cuts which are too far and too fast. We campaigned on six pledges to deal with the cost of living crisis in London including bringing down fares, cutting fuel bills and helping families with childcare. These were popular policies on the doorstep, and have been recognised by right-wing commentators as beating the policy offer of their candidate. Londoners voted for us to deliver them and we expect the Mayor to work with us to help Londoners. We will continue to develop these and put them forward to tackle the cost of living crisis facing people in our city and offer a credible alternative to more of the same from Mayor Johnson.

The results of Thursday’s election should be a wake-up call to the government, their policies are hurting ordinary Londoners. We need a government and a Mayor who are on their side in difficult times. We have a new and invigorated team, the Labour group on the London Assembly will scrutinise the Mayor and highlight his failing policies and his total lack of vision for our great city. If he thinks he can coast along for the next four years he is in for a rude awakening.

By taking seats in outer London(Barnet & Camden and Ealing & Hillingdon) we now have Labour representatives who can take the fight to the Tories in their so-called “backyards”. Our new members on the Assembly have varied backgrounds and each brings talents and experience that we can use. Andrew Dismore is a former MP and formidable campaigner, Fiona Twycross has a strong background working for a national health charity, Tom Copley has valuable experience working for the anti-fascist organisation Hope Not Hate and Dr Onkar Sahota has a wealth of NHS experience as a local GP inWest London.

We will work with our colleagues across the London Labour Party to develop an alternative vision forLondonand campaign in the run-up to the local elections in 2014 and General Election in 2015. The campaign for Mayor and the Assembly reached all parts of the city, both inner and outer, it is vital that we continue this hard work to ensure success in 2016.

Len Duvall is London Assembly Member for Greenwich & Lewisham and is the Leader of the Labour Group on the London Assembly