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Sadiq Khan installs new deputy mayor for housing
Sadiq Khan has appointed a “relentless campaigner” as his new deputy mayor of housing for London.
Tom Copley, previously chair of the London Assembly housing committee, has taken up the post left vacant by James Murray.
Mr Murray stepped down after being elected as MP for Ealing North at last month’s general election.
Mr Copley, who has served on the London Assembly since 2012 and is a Labour and co-operative councillor in Lewisham, has been a dogged campaigner on housing issues – including lobbying for resident ballots on estate regeneration schemes.
In September he accused Westminster City Council of trying to “dodge” scrutiny over a major regeneration project.
He has been vocal in his opposition to the Right to Buy, publishing research last year which showed that London councils spend more than £22m a year renting back homes sold through the policy to use as accommodation for homeless households.
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He has been a fierce critic of Boris Johnson’s failed Garden Bridge project, branding it a story of “incompetence, arrogance, privilege and power”.
Mr Copley will have around three months in the job before facing re-election to the London Assembly, alongside the London mayoral election.
Mr Khan said Mr Copley had become a “leading voice in housing policy across the UK, and has rightly earned his reputation as a relentless campaigner for the rights of council tenants and those renting in the private rented sector”.
Last year Mr Khan hit his target of building at least 14,000 affordable homes in London in the year, but question marks remain over whether he can reach his target for 2022.
He added: “We’ve begun making progress fixing the housing crisis in London… I know that Tom shares my ambition to go even further, working with all levels of government to solve the housing crisis in London once and for all.”
Mr Copley said: “The housing and homelessness crisis is one of the biggest challenges facing our city. Our goal should be a city where everyone has access to a decent home that they can afford.
“I will work together with London’s councils, housing associations, homelessness charities and housing campaigners towards achieving that goal.”
Prior to sitting on the London Assembly, Mr Copley worked for anti-fascist charity Hope Not Hate and is a campaigner on LGBTQ+ rights.
“I warmly congratulate my friend Tom Copley on his appointment as deputy mayor for housing,” said Andrew Boff, housing spokesperson for the Greater London Authority Conservatives.
“Tom’s predecessor used this incredibly important position as a steppingstone to parliament while failing to bring about any real, positive change.
“The millions of Londoners who are crying out for new homes will be expecting Tom to take a very different approach to the role.”
Helen Evans, chief executive of Network Homes and chair of the G15 group of London housing associations, said: “We congratulate Tom Copley on his appointment as deputy mayor for housing.
“The G15 looks forward to working closely with him to tackle London’s housing crisis and deliver the affordable new homes that the capital needs.”
Update: at 11.39am 31/01/20 comments from Andrew Boff and Helen Evans were added to the story.
