Greater London Authority Bill

That is an example of the Liberal Democrats having something in common with the Conservatives. The Liberal Democrats spoke of—in the hon. Gentleman’s words—the status quo: they favour the negative power that the Mayor already has. Despite the fine words of the hon. Gentleman’s colleague, the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Lynne Featherstone), who talked of the Mayor’s heavy hand intervening in planning matters in her constituency, she supports the status quo, which already gives him that power. It was a great inconsistency on her part. Along with the Tories, the Liberal Democrats are supporting a deception of families in overcrowded housing in London. More than 150,000 households are in that position, and 62,000 are in temporary accommodation. By putting a block on the Mayor’s ability to go for the strategic approach and provide much more affordable housing, Opposition Members are damaging those people’s prospects of obtaining the housing that they need so much. That is the commonality between the Liberal Democrats and the Tories on this Bill.