He told Housing Today: "The mayor does not have the specific powers to deliver that pledge. I have always said that my campaign will be based on a realistic assessment of what the mayor can do and should do not on promises plucked out of thin air. It is totally unrealistic for any candidate to claim they can deliver 100,000 affordable homes in London."
Instead he said he would make "full use" of planning regulations to promote more affordable housing through mixed development and regeneration initiatives.
He added that as mayor he would seek to address the "very serious problem" of accommodation shortages for the homeless and asylum seekers in the capital.
But he rejected proposals, such as Westminster council's, to "export" the homeless elsewhere in the country - although he advocated the government's plans to disperse asylum seekers as "much fairer" than letting London shoulder the burden.
He said: "I would condemn any authority that operates a policy of dumping homeless people elsewhere in the country without them agreeing to make that move."
Raynsford also denied that his campaign would delay work on the forthcoming housing Green Paper.
He said: "I am fully committed to continuing the work that we have already begun. I have no intention of taking my eye off the ball. I have kept my eye on a number of balls throughout my political career and intend to go on doing so."
Elections for the mayor will take place in May next year. If Raynsford is chosen as Labour's candidate, and then wins the election, Raynsford would almost certainly have to quit as housing minister. "There would probably be some conflicts of interests," a DETR spokesman explained.
- Another would-be Labour candidate, Glenda Jackson, pledged to end rough sleeping in London by the end of her first term, by setting up a "social rescue team" to help source accommodation.
She also promised to disperse asylum seekers around London by finding extra temporary accommodation.
Source
Housing Today
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