Peckham’s Liberal Democrat candidate has warned that ‘crippling rent rises’ are hurting the Walworth Road and called for a local masterplan.
Walworth has faced an exodus of local shops, many of which are deeply valued by locals, including banks, a Post Office and the 111-year-old Marks & Spencer.
Southwark News asked four candidates for Peckham about their vision for the area’s historic high street.
David Watson – Liberal Democrat – ‘Crippling rent rises are hurting local business in Walworth’
“The Walworth Road is being left behind. M&S has now left, shortly after the Post Office. Liberal Democrats called on the Labour Council to do more to save M&S, but they have abandoned this high street.
“We want a Walworth masterplan built around small, local businesses and the East Street market. As part of this, Labour must ditch their crippling rent rises on independent businesses.”
Miatta Fahnbulleh – Labour Party – ‘Labour’s plan for business will boost the Walworth Road’
“The Walworth Road is an iconic part of South London. Just last week I met business owners on East Street Market and heard how rising rents and costs are piling on the pressure. I want to see Walworth Road, and all our highstreets, flourishing for years to come.
“This will require action at the national level to boost the economy and revive our high streets, alongside action by the Council. Labour is committed to guaranteeing small businesses access to finance and banking services on their high street, replacing business rates with a new system that will level the playing field and putting money in people’s pockets so that local businesses can thrive.
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“And I am committed to working with every level of government from Whitehall down to ensure we create the conditions for our local businesses to grow and create economic opportunities for our community.”
Ben Mascall – Conservative and Unionist Party – ‘Let’s preserve heritage but be open-minded’
“Back in 2004, I used to live next to the Heygate estate and regularly shopped on the Walworth Road, not least as my girlfriend at the time lived directly off it. It’s fair to say it has changed a lot in the past 20 years and some of that is playing out through the debate about the gentrification of the East Street Market.
“As with the Aylesham Centre I think compromise is key – yes, let’s preserve heritage but let’s also be open minded and not inadvertently pull up the drawbridge to change that can bring benefits to the community.
Claire Sheppard – Green – ‘The Greens will protect essential services’
“The Green Party’s vision for retail and business in Walworth includes promoting policies that support small, local businesses, ensure they can thrive in the face of changing economic conditions and work to retain essential services like banks and post offices to ensure the community remains well-served.
“My husband and I are both small business owners, working out on Rye Lane, my husband has run a Sports Massage Business for 9 years and I have run my market research company for the last 12 years. We are part of the small business community here.
“I will always work hard to support my community, as those who know me from Nunhead Knocks, where we supported SE15 through Covid and the cost of living crisis, will attest”
“My basic view is that the developers have moved a bit. They certainly need to move further. But the reality is that even when they have moved enough, not everyone is going to be happy. So, if we want the extra housing and the uplift, there will need to be compromise on both sides.”
Other candidates standing:
Stefan David Harvey – Independent
Mariatu Kargbo – Workers Revolutionary Party
Alex Kerr – Rejoin EU
Olusola Oni – The Yoruba Party in the UK
Linda Purcell – Reform UK
Seat Analysis
Peckham is a brand new constituency now that the former Camberwell and Peckham seat has been dissolved. Although the new boundaries have seen it absorb part of Walworth and Elephant and Castle, it will arguably keep its essential character – a predominantly working-class area, with a strong ethnic-minority community and an influential, middle-class component.
According to the most recent census data, more than two-fifths (43.9 per cent) of residents were born outside the UK. That figure rises to 50.7 per cent in North Walworth, which is now part of the new constituency.
Peckham keeping a similar demographic to its predecessor is good news for Labour. Camberwell and Peckham was the 19th safest Labour seat in the country in the 2019 general election, with the party achieving a 59.8 per cent majority. However, it is not without its party political intrigue. A local politician recently described it as a ‘training ground’ for up-and-coming Tory candidates – a challenging seat where bright prospects can cut their teeth before being parachuted into safer seats. Jessica Lee, who contested in 2005, and Ben Spencer, who contested in 2017, both went on to become MPs for other parts of the country.
The next MP will have a loaded in-tray, complete with crime, housing, and economic development being high on the agenda. Gang violence remains an ongoing issue and the controversial Aylesham Centre regeneration will reshape the area for generations to come. Further north, Walworth is one of the most deprived areas in the borough. The stagnating Aylesbury Estate regeneration is seen by many as a visible symbol of failed local and national housing policy. Meanwhile, local schools are closing at an alarming rate as student rolls fall.
The Constituency’s History
From 1885 to 1908, Peckham, a wealthy semi-rural suburb, consistently voted Conservative due to its affluent factory-owning residents. However, the area’s demographics shifted as local manufacturing and retail industries grew, attracting more working-class residents who leaned towards Labour.
The arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush in 1948 brought a wave of Caribbean immigrants to south London, including Peckham, further solidifying Labour’s presence due to their working-class status. A pivotal moment in Peckham’s political history was the election of Harriet Harman as the Labour MP in 1982, during a time of political and economic turmoil under Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government.
Harman became a notable figure in British politics, advocating for women’s rights, social justice, and community issues, which bolstered Labour’s support. Her tenure brought national attention to Peckham, and in 1997, the Camberwell and Peckham constituency was established. Despite her contributions, she faced criticism for perceived complacency and lack of visibility, exemplified by wearing a stab-proof jacket during a police walkabout in 2008 and lacking a permanent constituency office.
In 2021, Harman announced her decision to stand down at the next election. In November 2022, Miatta Fahnbulleh was named as the Labour candidate to succeed Harman.
The 2019 election results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | Votes (%) | Swing (%) |
| Labour | Harriet Harman | 40,258 | 71.3 | -6.5 |
| Conservative | Peter Quentin | 6,478 | 11.5 | -1.3 |
| Liberal Democrat | Julia Ogiehor | 5,087 | 9.0 | +3.1 |
| Green | Claire Sheppard | 3,501 | 6.2 | +3.4 |
| Brexit Party | Claude Cass-Horne | 1,041 | 1.8 | NEW |
| Workers Revolutionary | Joshua Ogunleye | 127 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
What are the candidates’ key pledges?
Miatta Fahnbulleh – Labour Party
- I’ll tackle the cost-of-living crisis by helping those struggling with rising costs, getting energy bills down, making work pay with a New Deal for Workers, and giving parents a helping hand with free breakfast clubs in every primary school.
- I’ll deliver the homes we need through the biggest boost to social housing in a generation, raising the standards of homes across our area, and giving first time buyers first dibs on new homes in Peckham.
- I want to make our streets safe again by tackling antisocial behaviour, knife crime, gangs by working hand-in-hand with our community while ensuring we reform and rebuild trust in the police.
Ben Mascall – Conservative and Unionist
- Backing local businesses: the constituency is bursting with vibrant local businesses. If we can fully unleash the spirit that has driven that success, then even better days lie ahead. That means bearing down on business taxes. The Conservative Government took welcome steps to reduce business rates last autumn. If I’m elected, I will campaign for further progress.
- Fighting for better transport links: When it comes to the London Underground, south London has always lacked the infrastructure of the north of the city. It is time this was addressed. The proposed Bakerloo Line extension, with two stations along the Old Kent Road, has broad support and detailed plans – but it has been put on the backburner. I will campaign to get it back on track and to get Old Kent Road on the Tube map.
- Campaigning for safer streets: People deserve to feel safe when they walk the streets whether that is petty, low-level crime or more serious offences. If I’m elected I’ll press for a continued focus on increasing police presence on the streets.
David Watson – Liberal Democrat
- Campaign for more GPs and faster access to GP appointments – including the right for those in urgent need to see a doctor within 24 hours.
- Fight for more affordable homes and stand up for residents and communities with big developers.
- Make the Walworth Road the vibrant artery between Elephant and Castle and Burgess Park that our neighbourhood deserves.
Claire Sheppard – Green
- Sustainable and Inclusive Development: Ensure all new developments are environmentally sustainable and include significant social and affordable housing to meet local needs. We need the right homes, in the right places that people can afford to live in.
- Protect our NHS: As a cancer survivor I owe my life to the care and treatment the NHS gives. I would fight to save it from further privatisation and fight for the huge investment needed to turn it’s fortunes around. I support our Doctors and Nurses getting much better pay deals than have been offered to reflect their extraordinary service through the pandemic and beyond.
- Community-Driven Policies: Prioritise community involvement in decision-making processes to ensure policies reflect the needs and desires of local residents. As an MP who has come from a community activist background my job is to represent Peckham, if elected I would work with community groups and residents to do the work you need your MP to do. I’ve lived in Peckham for 25 years, set up business here and am raising my family here, to be our MP would be an honour but I’d be there to represent our community.
