A shortlisted Labour candidate for the London mayoral election who is ‘passionate’ about improving the city he calls home, came to Walthamstow on Friday.

David Lammy MP for Tottenham hopes to take the place of Boris Johnson in the next election in 2016.

Mr Lammy brought his 20/20 ‘modern soapbox’ tour of London to the town centre to tell residents how he will help them, if elected.

“It is wonderful to be back in Walthamstow Market, a market I’ve known all my life. My mum came here every week and bought her best dresses from here,” he said.

“If you’ve got kids at home, they’re sadly going to be there for a while. We have got to get building or young, working class kids are going to be turfed out of London.

“I believe in the mixed communities we have here in London and I believe in council houses. Regeneration should not mean an end to this.

“As mayor, I would, from day one, start setting up an agency just like TfL but for houses: Homes for London. Then, just as we do for TfL and for Crossrail, I would go to the bond market and raise money, as much as £10billion to get London building.

“I am the candidate with a plan to pay for and build new homes for Londoners. We can do this. We can get building and we can build council homes and social homes and places for our young people to live.”

Mr Lammy has been forthrightly in favour of building council homes in London.

He cited his own London upbringing as the reason he understands the importance of these issues for Londoners.

“I wouldn’t be here without the help my mum had. She had five children to support and without the help from what are now tax credits as well as help from her union to go to night school and skill up, she wouldn’t have gotten on and she wouldn’t have been able to take care of us.

“I want to bring back night schools, so that Londoners can get the skills they need to participate in the new economy.

Mr Lammy criticised Boris Johnson for the level of cuts to the police service, as crimes against women are rising.

“If my mum had known when she wheeled me up and down this street all those years ago that I would be back here on my campaign to become the next mayor of London, she would never have believed it. I will stand up for the people of E17 to give them the homes and community now and on the road to 2020,” he added.

Under the new system voters can help decide Labour's candidate for London Mayor by becoming a registered supporter for £3 by texting SUPPORT 78555, or by visiting the Labour website.

Mr Lammy is joined on the ballot paper by Diane Abbott, Dame Tessa Jowell, Sadiq Khan, Gareth Thomas and Christian Wolmar.