Richard Livingstone, a Labour councillor in Southwark, has faced criticism after buying a raffle ticket for a Georgian townhouse he oversaw the sale of in 2013. Opposition politicians have condemned the move amid ongoing housing shortages and controversy over council housing management in the borough.
A Labour councillor in Southwark has attracted criticism after purchasing a raffle ticket for the chance to win a council house that he had overseen the sale of nearly a decade and a half ago. Richard Livingstone, the Labour member for Old Kent Road, entered a prize draw organised by the company Omaze for a four-bedroom Georgian townhouse located near Borough Market on Park Street.
Back in 2013, Livingstone supervised the sale of the same property, number 21 Park Street, alongside its neighbour at number 23. The two houses were sold to a property developer for a combined total of £2.96 million. At that time, Cllr Livingstone stated that the funds from the sale would be used to “fund approximately 20 new council homes” within the borough.
The sale had faced opposition from housing activists who even occupied the property for a period in protest. Southwark Council, under Labour leadership, proceeded with the sale despite local resistance.
The current estimated value of 21 Park Street stands at over £4.5 million, according to Omaze, which is running the raffle competition. Entry to the draw is available online until Sunday 27 April, with postal entries closing on Tuesday 29 April.
Richard Livingstone has not responded to requests for comment from the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).
The situation has drawn rebuke from opposition politicians in the area. Cllr Victor Chamberlain, leader of Southwark Liberal Democrats and member for Borough and Bankside, described the event as a “gross irony.” Speaking to the LDRS, he said: “It’s a gross irony that the Labour councillor who flogged off the family silver is now buying lottery tickets for a chance to live in the very home he sold.”
Chamberlain highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by Southwark residents, noting that 19,000 households remain on the council’s housing waiting list, with no new council homes built in the previous year. He added: “The council openly admitting that at least 20 per cent of applicants will never get a home—for some, their odds of winning this lottery are bizarrely better than getting help from Southwark.”
He criticised the council’s approach to social housing, stating: “Instead, Southwark Labour are doubling down—they sold off yet another council house on the same street just a few months ago. This isn’t policy, it’s managed decline. They’re hollowing out social housing in Southwark and replacing it with raffles and press releases.”
Despite his criticism of his political opponents, Cllr Chamberlain also admitted to entering the raffle for the chance to win the Park Street property.
The story has drawn attention to the ongoing debates around council housing in Southwark, the borough’s management of its housing stock, and the innovative but controversial methods used to provide housing opportunities to residents.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.londoncentric.media/p/omaze-london-house-borough-market-park-street-council-house – This article supports the claim that 21 Park Street was a former council house involved in a raffle by Omaze. It also touches on the history of the property, including its past occupation by squatters protesting its sale.
- https://www.southwarklabour.com/profile/richard-livingstone/ – This webpage provides background information on Richard Livingstone, detailing his role and achievements as a councillor and member of Southwark’s cabinet, including overseeing housing matters.
- https://southwarknews.co.uk/news/opinion/comment-housing-situation-not-ideal-but-it-is-honest/ – The article mentions Cllr Livingstone’s involvement in discussing Southwark’s housing situation, though it does not directly address the Park Street issue. It highlights the complexities of housing policy in the area.
- https://www.se1.news/case-for-bakerloo-line-extension-really-positive-council-leader/ – While not directly related to the Park Street property, this article shows Richard Livingstone’s active role in local council discussions, such as commenting on the Bakerloo line extension.
- http://re-photo.co.uk/?tag=southwark – This blog mentions Southwark Council and housing issues, though it does not specifically cover the Park Street property or Richard Livingstone’s recent actions. It does provide context on past housing debates in Southwark.
- https://www.noahwire.com – This source likely provides the original context and details about the situation with Richard Livingstone purchasing a raffle ticket for a property he previously oversaw the sale of. However, the exact content of the article is not available from the provided search results.
- https://www.mylondon.news/news/south-london-news/london-councillor-who-oversaw-sale-31502943 – Please view link – unable to able to access data
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative refers to recent events and ongoing debates about council housing in Southwark, indicating relatively fresh content. However, past events from 2013 are also mentioned, which slightly reduces the score.
Quotes check
Score:
9
Notes:
Cllr Victor Chamberlain’s quote appears original and is specific to this situation. The lack of earlier online references increases the score, suggesting it might be the first instance of this quote.
Source reliability
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative originates from a local news site, MyLondon, which typically reports on regional news. While not a major national outlet, it is a known platform for local news, contributing to a moderate reliability score.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims about council housing policies and criticisms in Southwark are plausible given the context of political debates on housing. The involvement of councillors in a raffle for a previously sold council house aligns with possible political controversy.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative passes scrutiny due to its freshness, the originality of the quote, moderate source reliability, and plausible claims. The situation described aligns well with political and housing debates in Southwark.
