Brian Rose's Real Deal - Investing In Families Is The Key To Our Future - How Sadiq Khan Has Failed London's Children

Brian Rose's Real Deal

On my weekly Real Deal show I recently discussed why investing in families is the key to our future as a city, and how the current Mayor of London’s failure to do so has left our children to carry the burden.

Join me as I take an in-depth look at how our current Mayor has failed to address key concerns over housing, crime and education, issues that are imperative to the fortunes of many families, in dealing with the challenges of raising children in the city of London.

My Mom was a single parent who worked incredibly hard to ensure myself and my siblings were given every opportunity possible, but it was challenging and as a father myself I understand that ultimately, we all want to provide the best for our children. For some however, that is just not possible without the right support network.

We have a situation in London, where even those in full-time employment are struggling to make ends meet and little is being done to address the problem. Cuts in spending have resulted in the breakdown of community support, through extracurricular events and activities. Youth clubs, boxing gyms and support centres are struggling to survive, and with that comes a lack of leadership and the necessary mental and physical subsidy to our young people.

I believe the solution lies in finding innovative new ways to tackle existing problems. I recently spoke with former London Real guest Lord Michael Farmer where we discussed the idea of Family Hubs, whereby a network of physical and virtual resources are brought together in a coordinated manner to ensure that families receive the support they need when they need it most.

This includes:

• Children’s Services
• Health Visiting
• School Health
• Housing
• Maternity services
• Local voluntary service providers

Some local authorities have already explored and implemented this approach, but I would like to see it rolled out across the capital. We need to protect all of our children and provide a safe and prosperous environment full of opportunity. We cannot allow for more cuts to spending that are only going to worsen the problem. Of course, added to this melting pot of inadequacy and shortage are those vulnerable children and parents who already find themselves in challenging circumstances. It’s time for a change.

We must halt the terrifying rise in crime that is destroying our city and of course the lives of our younger generation. We must provide a platform for community leadership and invest in all 32 boroughs to ensure that every single person feels safe and optimistic.

HOW SADIQ KHAN HAS FAILED THE CHILDREN OF LONDON

It is together that we can engineer a way to a brighter future, and I believe that with strong leadership and the right kind of investment, London can once again become a world-class city.

Our current Mayor of London has continually broken promises throughout his time in office. Budgets have been slashed, council tax increased and still his only solution is to ask the government for more money. He has ignored our communities and the experts that work within them, instead, pursuing costly projects that have little resonance with the people of London.

Together we can make a great change to this city, and create an environment that benefits everyone. I want London to be the best place to grow up as a child. We need a change of leadership, a fresh set of ideas and a new direction, that can revitalise our economy and bring fresh hope to everyone.

As your next Mayor of London, I promise to put Family First and find innovative ways to:

• Keep our family units together and give extra support to single parents
• Deal with family problems proactively instead of reactively with preventative community support programs for Mothers, Fathers and children
• Train our police to deal with domestic disputes in a way to ensure they de-escalate problems and protect the structure of the family when possible
• Provide lower transportation fares and discounted events for families
• The family structure, no matter how unconventional, is a timeless system of care and accountability that brings out the best in all us

Let me know your thoughts

Real Deal is your chance to join me LIVE to discuss the big issues and I want you to get involved by sending me your questions and opinions.

This week I’m particularly keen to hear your thoughts on:

• Do you believe that key workers like teachers, nurses, police and firefighters deserve affordable housing in this city?
• Do you personally struggle to afford to pay your rent and why?
• Are you struggling to purchase a property and why?
• Has the current Mayor failed in his promises to build more affordable homes and why?
• Do you think we need new leadership, new ideas, and to take London in a new direction?

Let me know in the comments section below!

Download clips

A number of clips from this groundbreaking interview are now available to download, share and repost. Spread the word and defend our human rights: grab these clips today!

1. We Are Building A Bus
2. Our Current Mayor Of London Doesn’t Support The Family Structure
3. Lord Farmer On Policies For Families
4. Helping Single Parents
5. The Repercussions Of A Family Breakdown
6. Family Hub
7. My Family First Policies