Housing role for poll guru

Mr Blakeway worked as editor of the International Development Magazine for three years before he joined Boris Johnson’s mayoral bandwagon in 2007. He also worked as project leader for the think tank Commission on Globalisation and Global Poverty.

Mr Blakeway said he had gained in-depth housing experience during the mayoral campaign. His social development background also gave him the necessary skills for the job, he told Inside Housing.

‘Those kinds of skills are important, particularly in working with groups who have divergent views and helping communities work together,’ he said. ‘There are some really challenging social problems which I think you can tackle through housing.’

Mr Blakeway said the mayor was committed to building 50,000 affordable homes by 2011. Other targets for him include developing the First Steps scheme for potential buyers, creating a housing design guide and tackling homelessness, he said.

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