Editing Nick Raynsford (section)

== Political career ==
[[File:Fulham pitch invasion 1987.jpg|thumb|left|Raynsford (centre left, brown jacket) with other [[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]] supporters protesting plans to demolish [[Craven Cottage]], 1987]]
=== Councillor: 1971–1975 ===
Raynsford was a councillor for the [[London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham]] from 1971 to 1975. Before he was elected to Parliament, he was director of the [[Shelter (charity)|Shelter Housing Aid Centre]].<ref name="theguardian.com" /> He says a major reason he chose to seek parliamentary office was his involvement in campaigning for better provision for the homeless, achieved through the 1977 Homeless Persons Act. The 1977 Act extended local council responsibility "to provide accommodation for homeless people in their area,"<ref>The Longman Companion to The Labour Party 1900–1998 by Harry Harmer</ref> and instituted the right of homeless families to a permanent local council tenancy.<ref>British Social Welfare in the Twentieth Century, edited by Robert M. Page and Richard Silburn</ref>

=== Early parliamentary career: 1986–1997 ===
Raynsford was first elected a member of parliament (MP) for the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] in [[1986 Fulham by-election|a 1986 by-election]] for [[Fulham (UK Parliament constituency)|Fulham]], but at the [[1987 United Kingdom general election|1987 general election]], lost to [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] candidate [[Matthew Carrington, Baron Carrington of Fulham|Matthew Carrington]]. He then became MP for [[Greenwich (UK Parliament constituency)|Greenwich]] at the [[1992 United Kingdom general election|1992 general election]], and at the [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997 general election]], he won the re-drawn seat of [[Greenwich and Woolwich]]. He retained the seat at the [[2001 United Kingdom general election|2001]], [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005]] and [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010]] general elections, with majorities of 13,433,<ref>{{cite news|title = BBC News Vote 2005 map|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/vote2005/flash_map/html/map01.stm | access-date=6 January 2010}}</ref> 10,146<ref>{{cite news|title = BBC News Vote 2005|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/vote2005/html/284.stm | access-date=6 January 2010}}</ref> and 10,153<ref>{{cite news|title = BBC News Election 2010 Greenwich & Woolwich Constituency|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/constituency/b90.stmhtml/284.stm | access-date=22 June 2010 }} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=RjwilmsiBot}}</ref> respectively.

In opposition, Raynsford was Shadow Minister for Housing and Construction from 1994, and frontbench spokesperson for London from 1993. From 1992 to 1993, he was a member of the [[Environment Select Committee]].<ref>{{cite news|title = Official Website, Nick Raynsford MP – Biography|url = http://www.nickraynsford.org.uk/biography }}</ref>

=== Ministerial career: 1997–2005 ===
Raynsford joined the government in 1997 and held responsibility for construction, housing, planning and the regions. During this time, he was responsible for the implementation of the [[Decent Homes Standard]]. In 1997, there were 2.1m houses owned by local authorities and housing associations that did not meet the Decent Homes Standard. By the end of 2010, 92% of social housing met the standard of being warm and weatherproof with reasonably modern facilities.<ref>{{ cite news|title = Labour's legacy – Inside Housing, May 2010|url = http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/labours-legacy/6509704.article|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141013082947/http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/labours-legacy/6509704.article|archive-date = 13 October 2014|df = dmy-all}}</ref>

As the government minister responsible for construction, Raynsford was credited with introducing building regulations which significantly improved standards, including making mandatory disabled access in new builds, increasing energy efficiency standards and fire safety.<ref>{{ cite news|title = The Building Regulations (Amendment) Regulations 1998, UK Practical Law Website|url = http://uk.practicallaw.com/uklegislation/uksi/1998/2561/made}}</ref> His position also included responsibility for the Fire Service and the creation of the London [[Local Resilience Forum|Resilience Forum]] to oversee London's preparedness for dealing with emergencies (see [[Operation Sassoon]]). As a local government minister, he led the [[Local Government Act 2000]] through Parliament, which repealed the controversial [[Section 28]].<ref name="nickraynsford.org.uk">{{ cite news|title = Official Website, Nick Raynsford MP – Biography, UK Practical Law Website|url = http://www.nickraynsford.org.uk/biography }}</ref>

As [[Minister for London]] from 2001 to 2003, Raynsford was responsible for restoring democratic citywide government to London, and the creation of the [[Greater London Authority]] and the commission of its home at [[City Hall, Southwark|City Hall]].<ref name="nickraynsford.org.uk"/>

=== Later parliamentary career: 2005–2015 ===
After the [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005 general election]], Raynsford returned to the backbenches. In June 2009, he publicly called for [[Gordon Brown]] to resign as Prime Minister, stating at the time, "I personally have considerable respect for Gordon Brown but his leadership is now so seriously damaged that I can't see the likelihood of him leading Labour successfully into the next general election. It's now appropriate for the party to look for a new leader".<ref>{{cite news|title = We're facing total disaster – Raynsford on The Andrew Marr Show, BBC TV 7 June 2009|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/andrew_marr_show/8087744.stm|access-date = 7 June 2009 | date=7 June 2009 | work=BBC News}}</ref>

On 28 March 2010, ''[[The Sunday Times]]'' reported that Raynsford earned £9,000 per month from jobs in industries connected to his ministerial career. They focused around three areas of activity – housing, construction and local government – with which Raynsford has been involved throughout his working life.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bremner|first1=Charles|last2=Robertson|first2=David|date=28 March 2010|title=My fee 2500 a dayplus expenses|work=The Times|location=London|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7078833.ece|access-date=20 May 2010}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

In opposition again in the 2010–15 Parliament, Raynsford was a consistent critic of the [[bedroom tax]], and in July 2014 co-sponsored the Affordable Homes Bill, which sought to limit the impact of the bedroom tax on tenants in the social rented sector.<ref>{{cite news|title =Affordable Homes Bill Article on Raynsford.org.uk|url = http://www.nickraynsford.org.uk/affordable-homes-bill}}</ref> He also co-chaired a parliamentary inquiry into youth unemployment which encouraged the promotion of apprenticeships in the construction industry.<ref>{{cite news |title = No More Lost Generations Report |url = http://www.ciob.org/youth-unemployment-inquiry |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141009132735/http://www.ciob.org/youth-unemployment-inquiry |archive-date = 9 October 2014 |df = dmy-all }}</ref>

As a constituency MP, Raynsford promoted regeneration in the Greenwich Borough, including campaigns for the [[North Greenwich tube station|North Greenwich Station]] on the Jubilee Line, the extension of the DLR to Greenwich and Woolwich, and the campaign to secure a [[Crossrail]] Station in Woolwich, and support for bringing the Olympics to his constituency.<ref>{{cite news|title = Interview with Greenwich.co.uk|url = http://www.greenwich.co.uk/magazine/09949-in-conversation-with-nick-raynsford-mp-for-greenwich-and-woolwich/}}</ref> He also advocated improved river crossings in East and South East London.<ref>{{cite news|title = 2012 NewsShopper article on Thames River Crossings|url = http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/greenwich/9470448.MP_slams_Boris_s_Thamesmead_Thames_ferry_plan/?ref=rss}}</ref> In May 2014, he expressed his opposition to a memorial to murdered soldier [[Lee Rigby]], suggesting it "would not in my view be helpful" because it "might attract undesirable interest from extremists". Greenwich Council noted they had been "overwhelmed by interest in a local memorial", but also opposed the tribute.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/10836764/Lee-Rigby-memorial-All-I-want-is-to-know-my-son-will-not-be-forgotten.html|title=Lee Rigby memorial: 'All I want is to know my son will not be forgotten'|website=www.telegraph.co.uk|date=17 May 2014 }}</ref>

In March 2013, Raynsford announced his intention to stand down as MP for Greenwich and Woolwich at the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|next general election]] and cited his age as the reason behind his decision.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Greenwich MP to stand down|url=https://www.itv.com/news/london/story/2013-03-22/greenwich-mp-to-stand-down/|access-date=2021-10-10|website=ITV News|language=en}}</ref>