The last few years have been difficult for Londoners. The cost of living crisis, affecting the majority of people in Lambeth and Southwark, has been the backdrop to our lives. Spiralling energy bills forcing people to choose between heating or eating. Food bank usage at record levels. Low pay forcing working people to claim benefits to make ends meet. Our NHS on its knees with long waiting lists. And when the government crashed the economy, high interest rates caused mortgages and private rents to rapidly increase.
As the London Assembly Member for Lambeth and Southwark, I’ve worked hard to represent you and ensure support for you and other Londoners through this difficult time. I’m proud that my report into childhood hunger led to the Mayor of London’s groundbreaking policy for Universal Free School Meals, saving £1,000 per child over two years. I’ve supported policies to eradicate low pay, fare freezing on public transport and have worked hard to reduce childhood poverty.
Policing and the reduction of crime is a key issue and I have regularly held the Met to account both locally and on a London wide basis. I have successfully pushed for safeguarding to be paramount when the police deal with children and young people. I support the Mayor of London’s initiatives in turning young people away from crime and want more funding for local projects.
If re-elected as your Assembly Member I will continue fighting for the best deal for you and your family from City Hall.
On 2nd May you have a choice to make. Do you want the Tories to wreck London as they have the country or do you want progressive Labour policies?
Marina Ahmad
Labour Candidate
London Assembly Member
Lambeth and Southwark
I am so proud of Lambeth and Southwark and really believe it to be the BEST London Assembly constituency! From South Bank to Dulwich Village, from Rye Lane to Clapham Common, from Borough market to Brixton, we truly have it all. Serving you for the last three years has been a privilege. There is so much more to be done.
Crime and policing
The Met has lost over £1billion in government cuts since 2010. The Mayor of London has plugged this gap and put 1,300 more officers on the street and provided positive opportunities for 300,000 young people. I will continue to push for more of these resources for Lambeth and Southwark.
New Homes
I grew up in a council house and know how important having a safe home with secured rent was for me and my four brothers. I want every child to have that security. London now has a golden age of council house building and I want that to continue whilst listening to local concerns about the type of homes being built.
Transport
I was proud to fight against the TfL bus cuts and was delighted when they were taken off the table. I want to see the Superloop express bus service extended across Lambeth and Southwark and more regular bus routes in place. I’ve lobbied to keep the Bakerloo Line Extension on the political agenda and the new ‘Bakerloop’ temporary service is a stop gap on our journey to get government funding to start the work on the extension.
Childhood Poverty
Childhood poverty is a scourge on our society. With a third of London’s children living in poverty I’ll continue to work with charities to tackle this unacceptable issue in the capital city of one of the richest economies in the world.
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