‘London’s success is integral to a decade of national renewal – and winning the next general election’

As we gather in Liverpool later this month, much of the conversation will focus on the progress we’ve made in government since July last year – and what more needs to be done before the next general election to show the public we are delivering the change we promised.

But our next big test will come even sooner than that. In just under eight months, alongside hugely important elections in Scotland and Wales, voters will go to the polls in council elections across England. In London alone, over 1,800 seats are up for grabs – that’s more than the combined total contested in the whole of the country at the local elections earlier this year. 

We currently find ourselves in a rare position in the capital. This is the first time since 2002 that Labour has been in charge nationally, in City Hall, and in the majority of London boroughs. 

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We have already seen the difference this political alignment can make. The record levels of investment in social and affordable housebuilding in London announced earlier this year is just one example of that. Working alongside the Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, this funding will enable Labour boroughs to deliver even more new council homes and help tackle the capital’s housing crisis – the single biggest challenge we face in London.

Not only is our ability to address these sorts of issues in the capital crucial to our chances of success in London in 2026 and 2028, it is critical to delivering on our key priorities nationally – and winning the next general election. 

Back London, back the country

There is sometimes a suggestion that we have to choose between London and the rest of the country if we want to succeed as a party – but that argument holds little weight electorally, politically or from a policy perspective.

It may seem hard to believe now, but just over a decade ago the Conservatives boasted nearly 40% of London MPs and had seen a certain future Prime Minister win successive terms as Mayor. Fast forward to the last general election and the Conservatives were almost wiped out in London – reduced to just nine MPs. Not only did the Tories’ attempts to pit London against other parts of the country see them collapse in the capital, it did little to win over voters elsewhere.

Electoral considerations aside, there’s an even more compelling political case for ensuring we pay London proper attention. 1 in 10 people in the UK live in our capital city and, once housing costs are factored in, we have a higher percentage of households living in poverty than anywhere else in the country.

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Families facing economic hardship and deprivation in Lambeth or Lewisham are no less important than those in Lancaster or Lincoln. Being true to our Labour values means we should never turn our backs on any part of the country, especially not one that is home to 9 million people.

Crucially, we will only be able to bring about the decade of national renewal we were elected to deliver if we can get to grips with some of the big issues facing the capital.

Take homelessness, for example. After 14 years of Tory failure, this Labour government came to power with a promise to put Britain back on track to end homelessness.

When you consider more than half of all homeless families in England are from London, it’s clear that we won’t be able to achieve that goal without investing significantly in the capital. Over the past year, boroughs have been working closely with the Mayor and government to develop new solutions to reduce homelessness, recognising London’s unique position as the epicentre of this national emergency.

Similarly, our commitment to building 1.5 million new homes is another key part of efforts to tackle the housing crisis. London has been tasked with delivering 300,000 of them – one-fifth of the total. I know boroughs across the capital are resolutely pro-housebuilding, but we need the tools to make that happen. In particular, we need to see investment in the transport infrastructure that is so crucial to unlocking sites for development.

And, if we are to succeed in the defining mission of this government – turbocharging economic growth – we need every region firing on all cylinders, including London. 

Supporting investment and boosting productivity in areas which have suffered at the hands of deindustrialisation and a Conservative government which cared more about gimmicks than growth needn’t come at the expense of the capital. In fact, given the huge interdependencies between London and the rest of the UK, the benefits of investment in the capital are seldom confined to the M25.

Boroughs have a critical role to play in driving this growth – whether it’s helping people into employment, supporting local businesses, or delivering the local services that underpin so much of our wider economic infrastructure. Ensuring we address the huge financial challenges facing councils in the capital – the worst of any region – and provide them with resources which genuinely reflect the high levels of need in London has never been more important.

Don’t be afraid of the L word

We can sometimes take London’s status as a ‘Labour city’ for granted, but we have to remember our dominance in the capital is still a relatively recent phenomenon.  

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Winning the next general election will require us to deliver genuine change in all of our communities and repay the trust of voters in every part of the country. 

So as we spending the next few days mulling over what the rest of this parliament holds in store, we would do well to learn the lesson that the Tories failed to. We must embrace London, not shy away from it. 

It is key to our success as a party –  and to the decade of national renewal that I am determined we help bring about.

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