My Hustings Speech

I believe in the transformative power of the public sector. The power of government not just to protect the vulnerable and help the needy, but to also lead innovation, to be entrepreneurial and to create wealth. It's why I got involved in politics and why I have been a councillor for almost 20 years. 

But be in no doubt, even Jeremy Corbyn himself as Mayor of Lewisham, couldn't stop the £52m worth of cuts that the Tories are determined to impose on the Council over the next 4 years. And do not be misled. Every year the Mayor has to decide on her budget and it is this budget that he must bring to the Labour Group to get support for and then to Full Council. It is the Mayor who must defend his budget to the public. In this regard he can run, but ultimately, she can’t hide. 

But before the Mayor is even able to face this huge challenge, he has to win next year's election. Whoever gets selected will not have Steve Bullock’s profile, record or personal vote. They will have to sell Labour's message to a community that has changed. New people have arrived here from other countries and other parts of the UK to make their homes in Lewisham. We know that people do not automatically vote the same way locally as they do nationally. Lewisham spends most of its budget on Social Services, but what has it got to offer the vast majority of our residents who don't use these services? Most of our citizens own their own homes or live in the private rented sector, not in social housing. What are we offering to the majority of voters? 

Also, when a leader of long standing stands down the opposition sense an opportunity. This is why I believe that next year's Mayoral election will be the toughest ever. The Tories have selected a young, determined, ambitious candidate. The Lib Dems are likely to choose an experienced campaigner as their standard bearer. Perhaps a high profile independent will see their chance and have a go. This is why it is imperative that whatever your personal view, whoever you would like to be the Mayor in an ideal world, you vote for the person you believe will impress ordinary voters the most. Labour must show that it can pick the best, not just indulge its own parochial ideals. If there is the slightest hint that Labour didn't choose the best person for the job. Then the Tories, the Lib Dems and all the rest, will spend months shouting out that Labour hold this borough and its residents in contempt. And frankly, I think that they will have a point. 

You will have received my literature through your door. Someone referred to it as my 'War and Peace'. I didn't want to spend time sending you text messages, cold calling you or banging on your door. Nor did I want to send out emails and leaflets that contained little more than various pictures of me, happy clappy slogans and un-costed pledges with no plan of how to achieve them. I wanted to treat members with respect. The selection process is the means by which we choose our candidate to run a billion pound organisation and be its public face. You're not being asked to select some kind of super community campaigner or civic mayor. It's a real job. For a real leader. 

I've set out what I think the job is and a plan to deal with the clear challenges. We need to modernise our organisation. We need to recruit innovators and entrepreneurs who are committed to the public sector and are determined to build a Council for the 21st Century, not run one that reflects the needs of the 20th. There are opportunities that we are not taking advantage of, particularly where council housing is concerned. 

I believe that the majority of our residents are ambitious and aspire to do well, to build a better life for themselves and their families. They want a council that shares their aims and values. They want a Council that they believe is on their side. They want a Council that has vision and can generate a sense of passion, pace and place. Lewisham becoming the best place to live, work and learn. 

You may have read my story. It’s not a story of one person's success from humble beginnings. It is one person's story of how they started out and how, thanks to the help, support and encouragement of others, family, church, the NHS, education, the Council, colleagues, they succeeded. It can be anybody's story. It should be everybody's story. 

I am standing in the contest because I believe that the Mayor can make this happen. I believe I can be that Mayor. Put your trust in me and I won't let you down.

Paul Maslin with Cllr John Muldoon

You can read more about my views on my blog : http://themaslinmemo.blogspot.co.uk/

You can follow me on Twitter @PaulJMas

If you’d like to get in touch you can email me Maslin4Mayor@gmail.com