Campaigners man the street to talk to voters in Southwark

Campaigners who want more spending on council housing, the NHS and schools were on the streets of Southwark on Saturday.

They manned street stalls in Walworth Road and in Brixton’s Windrush Square to tell voters about the current Government’s record.

Organiser Tanya Murat, secretary of Southwark Defend Council Housing, said: “We are not promoting any political party but we wanted to inform the public about the important issues.

Highlighting the record of the party in government and looking at election promises is an essential part of the electoral process.”

Steve Lancashire, from Southwark Keep Our NHS Public said: “The Government’s track record on health is appalling. The NHS has been underfunded by 30 per cent since 2010 (£30billion short).

That means the NHS is short of 40,000 nurses, 10,000 hospital doctors and 7,000 GPs.

“So dedicated staff overwork every week. Some will suffer so much that they take their own lives – 300 nurse suicides in the last seven years.

“Private companies already get 18 per cent of healthcare spending, not the seven per cent claimed by the Tories.

“This is having a big impact on spending in South London with huge long-term contracts such as the 15 year South East London Pathology Contract going to a private company.

“Frankly, the NHS is not safe in Boris Johnson’s hands. If electors want to safeguard the NHS, our message is Don’t vote Tory. ”

Chris Kelly, from Stand Up to Racism, said: “The Tory party engineered the hostile environment and was responsible for the Windrush Scandal.

Johnson is a man who openly normalises racist discourse, he has fanned the flames of the far right and sees Donald Trump as a role-model.

It’s critical we encourage everyone to use their vote in this election against him.”

Lynn Bjerke from the Extinction Rebellion Southwark group said: “The climate crisis is possibly the most difficult challenge we have ever faced.

“Southwark is particularly vulnerable to the impact of the rising sea levels and flooding.

“We want to build bridges to these different community groups, and to support each other in these difficult times.”

A Conservative spokesman said: “The Conservative government has given the Labour Mayor of London over £5billion to build new affordable homes.

“But three years into his Mayoralty, he has abjectly failed to build the affordable homes we need in our capital.

“Nationally, with a Conservative government, the number of new homes built hit a 30 year high in 2018/19.”