Meet TAM

F
... Liberal Democrats working for you in Blythe Hill, Brockley, Honor Oak and Stanstead Road ...

ocus
Crofton Park

By Rob Blackie, Focus reporter

Focus talks to rising star Tam Langley and finds out why she is running to be tam@lewishamlibdems.org.uk March 2010

the local Liberal Democrat MP

“It’s easy to be cynical about
politics,” says the thirty-four year
old Liberal Democrat candidate
for Lewisham Deptford, Tam
Langley.
“But actually, we can’t afford
cynicism any longer. We have to
speak up for a real change.”
And Tam Langley is the kind of Lib Dems launch fair tax policy
woman who gets things done. Liberal Democrat MPs Nick The gap between rich and
She’s a tough minded campaigner Clegg and Vince Cable have poor is now bigger than it
with the interests of local people launched Britain’s fairest tax was under Margaret Thatcher,
at heart. policy. more than twenty years ago.
The Lib Dems plan to reduce Labour’s unfair taxes don’t
Tam’s already been a success
tax bills for most workers by stop at income tax; in
in the business world. As a £700 per year. No-one will Lewisham Labour have
Director in charge of many major pay income tax on the first set the highest council tax
campaigns, she has worked on £10,000 they earn, so millions in inner London! Instead,
new ways to cut crime and has of low paid workers and Lewisham’s Lib Dems will
raised hundreds of thousands of pensioners will stop paying freeze council tax for two
pounds for research to save honey my kind of taxes altogether. years.
politics.” baby daughter last year made
bees. The plans will be funded by Tam Langley, Lib Dem
me even more passionate closing tax loopholes for the candidate for parliament, says
“Campaigning matters to all of Tam has been about changing our country very rich and introducing a “Our plan would help ordinary
us, every day,” she says. “It’s tipped as a for the better,” Tam says. ‘mansion tax’. Under Labour, families and the low paid,
about what to do when you feel ‘rising star’ “Whether it’s fighting many of the richest people while Labour have helped the
scared walking on your own down by Company against cuts to train services have paid a lower rate of tax wealthiest in society. It’s time Tam and the local team campaigning
than the rest of us, by using we made taxes fairer.” at Crofton Park station
a dark street because there are magazine. But or protecting our National
too few lights and you haven’t she’s keeping the capital gains tax system.
Health Service, it’s great to
Labour’s Tax Shame
her feet on
seen a police officer in weeks.
It’s about trying to get a decent the ground.
see the possibility of a fresh
start for Lewisham after 38
Lib Dems’ Fairer Taxes
workers her under
school place for your child. That’s “Having a £700 less tax each year for most Gap between rich and poor is hig
years of Labour.” tch er
Millions of low paid workers and
pensioners Labour than under Margaret Tha
won’t have to pay a penny in tax est to pay a
Labour allow some of the wealthi
Is there something you want to tell us? Tax loopholes for the richest will
be closed to lower level of tax than the rest of
us

fund fairer taxes for the rest of us highest level

Name and address: I'll vote Lib Dem in the Labour in Lewisham have set the
next election We’ll FREEZE Lewisham’s Council
Tax for at of Council Tax in inner London
I can help deliver least 2 years
Crofton Park Focus to

Labour’s £1300 taxi bill

Telephone and e-mail: local homes
I can display a poster at
Comments (please use extra paper if necessary): election time Local residents are demanding that The bill, enough to take a taxi to
a Crofton Park Labour councillor Edinburgh, was part of Labour’s
publishes £1,300 of receipts for £3,400 taxi bill charged to taxpayers.
Return this slip to: Crofton Park Lib Dems, FREEPOST RSAJ-GRSR-JUAG, 8 Woodham Road, London SE6 2SD taxis, which she claimed from council The 17 Lib Dem councillors have not
If you return this slip the Liberal Democrats and their elected representatives may use the information you have provided to contact you from time to time about issues taxpayers. claimed anything for taxi bills.
we think you may find of interest. Some of the contacts may be automated. You can opt out of some or all contacts at any time by contacting us.

Printed by T&B Printing, Unit 2, 8a Chelsfield Rd, St.Mary Cray, BR5 4DN. Published and Promoted by Rob Blackie on behalf of Tam Langley and the Liberal Democrats, 8 Woodham Road, Catford, SE6 2SD
 Contact your
Crofton Park Lib Dems launch better Maines4Mayor
Focus Team:
rail stations campaign by Lib Dem candidate for Mayor of
Lewisham, Chris Maines
Lewisham
Local Lib Dems have
joined forces with Lib The Lib Dem Council is

Dem London Assembly 5 point plan different from

for better ra other councils

il stations
Transport Spokesperson – Lewisham
Caroline Pidgeon, to has a directly

1
develop a 5 point plan to elected mayor.
Your station
improve rail stations. should be st Unlike other
throughout affed
the hours tr areas where
Local Lib Dem running ains are the mayor is

2
camapigner Barrie just symbolic,
Your station
Hall said, “Many should be d Lewisham’s
and all grot eep-cleaned
local residents have -spots remo mayor has

3
ved
complained about the We need a w control over
ebsite wher
state of Crofton Park report any p e you can everything the
roblem with council does.

4
station, and some feel All available your station
The buck stops
station entr
unsafe there. be kept ope ances must with the mayor.
n for you to
5
“We need more trains We need mo use In Lewisham, it’s Labour’s mayor who’s
re investme
to pass through the stations full nt to make responsible for the local housing chaos.
station so that more y accessible 20,000 people are on the waiting list and
Michele McClarren people use it. We 70% of council homes fail to meet the
Barrie Hall government’s “Decent Homes Standard”.
need more frequent staffing and
John Bowen better access to platforms. The Lib Dem Labour’s mayor has given Lewisham the
Crofton Park ward council highest council tax in inner London.
candidates 5 point plan would improve Crofton Park repair the neglect and improve transport
Transport for London have recently confirmed in an email
croftonpark@lewishamlibd station so that it becomes a real alternative links in places like Crofton Park.” The council has a key role working with the
to Tam Langley that they are still considering the Crofton
ems.org.uk to Honor Oak, reducing passenger police to make our area safer. However,
Local residents can sign the petition for Park – Victoria service, after Tam submitted a
congestion there.” petition of over 400 residents backing it. However TfL look under Lewisham’s mayor, violent crime has
introduction of the 5 point plan for better rail risen, particularly among young people.
unlikely to make a final decision before the May elections.
“So often our stations are left in poor stations here http://www.ourcampaign.org. Residents can still sign the petition here: bit.ly/cptrains
Lewisham’s appalling recycling rate and
condition,” added Caroline, “We need to uk/betterstations
a 25% increase in landfill is due to the
way the council runs its recycling – and

Mattress collection
Labour’s mayor has done nothing to sort
Planting trees on Blythe Hill this out.
A Liberal Democrat mayor would open
Local Lib Dem campaigners
up the council and share decision making
John Bowen and Barrie Hall
Tam Langley with local residents. There would be a
recently joined the Friends
Prospective MP for programme to build new council homes
of Blythe Hill Fields planting
Lewisham, Deptford –the first for a decade.
trees.
07759 767238 A Lib Dem mayor would freeze council tax
020 7207 2256 The trees were chosen both to for a least the next two years. Local police
add to the beauty of the park, teams would be strengthend to ensure they
and to provide security for the work more closely with young people.
houses that border Blythe Hill
Fields. John says, “As a dog Doubling recycling and reducing landfill
Lewisham has started a free owner I really value beautiful would be priorities for a Lib Dem Mayor of
mattress collecting scheme – just spots like Blythe Hill Fields. Lewisham.
get a sticker from the library Planting trees to make it even At the last mayoral election for Lewisham,
or Lewisham’s ‘access point’ in better was great exercise, and the Liberal Democrats came a close
Cllr Chris Maines Catford and the mattress will of course it feels good to be second. This May, the choice is between
Liberal Democrat be collected on the same day as helping the environment and the Liberal Democrats, who want real
Mayoral candidate normal rubbish. helping people feel safer in their change in Lewisham, and complacent
07973 149846 homes.” Labour, who no longer care.