{"id":475507,"date":"2026-03-27T09:10:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T09:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/?p=475507"},"modified":"2026-03-27T19:15:44","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T19:15:44","slug":"i-love-southwark-but-it-and-london-has-become-too-expensive-this-must-change-writes-leader-of-southwark-council","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/southwark\/i-love-southwark-but-it-and-london-has-become-too-expensive-this-must-change-writes-leader-of-southwark-council\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018I love Southwark but it and London has become too expensive &#8211; this must change\u2019, writes leader of Southwark Council"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>I love Southwark. Our borough is diverse, it\u2019s vibrant, it\u2019s busy. It\u2019s a bustling, amazing place.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From Peckham\u2019s food scene to Dulwich\u2019s parks and sports grounds, Bermondsey\u2019s estates to Walworth\u2019s street markets and Bankside\u2019s heritage. Southwark has it all.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"69959\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448384\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">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<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>We are a green borough, with stunning parks and hundreds of thousands of trees. Our schools are some of the best in the country. Our playgrounds and sports facilities state of the art. And we have some of the best libraries and leisure centres our country has to offer. Just last week our libraries won London Library of the Year from the British Book Awards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-southwark-news wp-block-embed-southwark-news\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"anvawdrKQFxJfXBW2nuUMREYpNOjRHjLClkrkCQs39JbmiFphMHOoDz31yVTz8xUEVW1\"><blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"0GD6vRFu6Z\"><a href=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/news\/community\/southwark-wins-london-library-of-the-year-award\/\">Southwark wins London Library of the Year award<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Southwark wins London Library of the Year award&#8221; &#8212; Southwark News\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/news\/community\/southwark-wins-london-library-of-the-year-award\/embed\/#?secret=rG0iQgqzEP#?secret=0GD6vRFu6Z\" data-secret=\"0GD6vRFu6Z\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Alongside our communities, Labour councillors have protected and grown these brilliant parts of our borough.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"68153\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448385\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtMTQ2Nzc0OTU4NyIgY2xhc3M9InNvdXRoLWNvbnRlbnQgc291dGgtZW50aXR5LXBsYWNlbWVudCIgc3R5bGU9Im1hcmdpbi1sZWZ0OiBhdXRvO21hcmdpbi1yaWdodDogYXV0bzt0ZXh0LWFsaWduOiBjZW50ZXI7Ij48IS0tICAvMTU0NzI1MDcwLDIyNjk0MTk2OTY5L3NvdXRod2Fya25ld3Mvc291dGh3YXJrbmV3cyAtLT4NCjxkaXYgaWQ9ImRpdi1ncHQtYWQtMngxIj4NCjxzY3JpcHQ+DQpnb29nbGV0YWcuY21kLnB1c2goZnVuY3Rpb24oKSB7IGdvb2dsZXRhZy5kaXNwbGF5KCdkaXYtZ3B0LWFkLTJ4MScpOyB9KTsNCjwvc2NyaXB0Pg0KPC9kaXY+ICAgICAgICAgIDwvZGl2Pg==<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>But Southwark \u2013 and London as a whole \u2013 has become too expensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rent rises have outstripped wages. House prices are through the roof. A more unstable world means energy is getting more and more expensive. Basic essentials are increasingly unaffordable. Families are being forced to move elsewhere.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"71156\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448386\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtMzY5MDU4MTQwIiBjbGFzcz0ic291dGgtaW4tYXJ0aWNsZS1tcHU5IHNvdXRoLWVudGl0eS1wbGFjZW1lbnQiPjwhLS0gIC8xNTQ3MjUwNzAsMjI2OTQxOTY5Njkvc291dGh3YXJrbmV3cy9zb3V0aHdhcmtuZXdzIC0tPg0KPGRpdiBpZD0iZGl2LWdwdC1hZC1tcHU5Ij4NCjxzY3JpcHQ+DQpnb29nbGV0YWcuY21kLnB1c2goZnVuY3Rpb24oKSB7IGdvb2dsZXRhZy5kaXNwbGF5KCdkaXYtZ3B0LWFkLW1wdTknKTsgfSk7DQo8L3NjcmlwdD4NCjwvZGl2PiAgICAgPC9kaXY+<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>This must change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Southwark Labour is making it our mission to make Southwark a place everyone can succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It starts with our five pledges \u2013 which we announced last month \u2013 and will be fully drawn out in our manifesto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our vision is bold, it is ambitious. It means coming together with our communities to build more genuinely affordable homes; to ensure every young person can get a job, training or education when leaving school; to keep our neighbourhoods safe; to give everyone in our borough access to the fantastic culture Southwark has to offer.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"71157\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448387\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtMzk5MzQ4Mzc5NyIgY2xhc3M9InNvdXRoLWluLWFydGljbGUtbXB1LTEwIHNvdXRoLWVudGl0eS1wbGFjZW1lbnQiPjwhLS0gIC8xNTQ3MjUwNzAsMjI2OTQxOTY5Njkvc291dGh3YXJrbmV3cy9zb3V0aHdhcmtuZXdzIC0tPg0KPGRpdiBpZD0iZGl2LWdwdC1hZC1tcHUxMCI+DQo8c2NyaXB0Pg0KZ29vZ2xldGFnLmNtZC5wdXNoKGZ1bmN0aW9uKCkgeyBnb29nbGV0YWcuZGlzcGxheSgnZGl2LWdwdC1hZC1tcHUxMCcpOyB9KTsNCjwvc2NyaXB0Pg0KPC9kaXY+ICAgICA8L2Rpdj4=<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>All while keeping council tax low and making sure Southwark is a council you can trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other political parties will talk down our borough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They try to paint a downbeat picture of our local neighbourhoods, despite the hard work of our communities to make them the best in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The picture they paint is not the reality. To let them win in May would be to risk everything we have built and we are so proud of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Southwark Labour is bringing the positive case for our borough\u2019s future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A future where we end our dependence on fossil fuels, instead creating local, clean energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A future where every school street is safe at pick up and drop off times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A future where our leisure centres are the best in London, our parks are teaming with life and where your local council is supporting thousands of local residents to get good, well-paid jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But we know people are struggling to get by. That is why our vision puts Labour at the forefront of the fight to make our borough a place where everyone can succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-southwark-news wp-block-embed-southwark-news\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"eHn2tfT4uhl8krmLbpGd\"><blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"oWkgCPGzlT\"><a href=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/news\/news-plus\/mayor-approves-canada-water-masterplan-with-only-9-affordable-housing-despite-giving-a-grant-of-over-50-million\/\">Deputy Mayor approves Canada Water Masterplan with only 9% affordable housing despite grant of over \u00a350 million<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Deputy Mayor approves Canada Water Masterplan with only 9% affordable housing despite grant of over \u00a350 million&#8221; &#8212; Southwark News\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/news\/news-plus\/mayor-approves-canada-water-masterplan-with-only-9-affordable-housing-despite-giving-a-grant-of-over-50-million\/embed\/#?secret=7LXGo6pGhJ#?secret=oWkgCPGzlT\" data-secret=\"oWkgCPGzlT\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I love Southwark. Our borough is diverse, it\u2019s vibrant, it\u2019s busy. It\u2019s a bustling, amazing place. From Peckham\u2019s food scene to Dulwich\u2019s parks and sports grounds, Bermondsey\u2019s estates to Walworth\u2019s street markets and Bankside\u2019s heritage. Southwark has it all. We are a green borough, with stunning parks and hundreds of thousands of trees. Our schools [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18939,"featured_media":449268,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":{"format":"standard","override":[{"template":"1","parallax":"1","fullscreen":"1","layout":"right-sidebar","sidebar":"default-sidebar","second_sidebar":"default-sidebar","sticky_sidebar":"1","share_position":"top","share_float_style":"share-monocrhome","show_share_counter":"1","show_view_counter":"1","show_featured":"1","show_post_meta":"1","show_post_author":"1","show_post_author_image":"1","show_post_date":"1","post_date_format":"default","post_date_format_custom":"Y\/m\/d","show_post_category":"1","show_post_reading_time":"0","post_reading_time_wpm":"300","post_calculate_word_method":"str_word_count","show_zoom_button":"0","zoom_button_out_step":"2","zoom_button_in_step":"3","show_post_tag":"1","show_prev_next_post":"1","show_popup_post":"1","show_comment_section":"1","number_popup_post":"1","show_author_box":"1","show_inline_post_related":"1"}],"image_override":[{"single_post_thumbnail_size":"crop-500","single_post_gallery_size":"crop-500"}],"trending_post_position":"meta","trending_post_label":"Trending","sponsored_post_label":"Sponsored by","disable_ad":"0","subtitle":"Monthly column by Southwark Labour Council Leader Sarah King"},"jnews_primary_category":{"id":"15443"},"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":{"view_counter_number":"0","share_counter_number":"0","like_counter_number":"0","dislike_counter_number":"0"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[15443,13543,8341],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-475507","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinion","category-politics","category-southwark"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/475507","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18939"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=475507"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/475507\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":475508,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/475507\/revisions\/475508"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/449268"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=475507"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=475507"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=475507"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}