{{short description|British Labour Co-op politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}} {{Use British English|date=March 2020}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Tom Copley | honorific_suffix = | image = Tom Copley 2018.jpg | caption = Copley in 2018 | office = Deputy Mayor of London for Housing and Residential Development | assembly = Sadiq Khan | term_start = 23 March 2020 | term_end = | office1 = Member of the London Assembly<br />as the 8th Additional Member | assembly1 = London | term_start1 = 4 May 2012 | term_end1 = 22 March 2020 | majority1 = | predecessor1 = Dee Doocey | successor1 = Alison Moore | office2 = Lewisham London Borough Councillor<br />for Sydenham | term_start2 = 3 May 2018 | term_end2 = 20 March 2020 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1985|05|11|df=y}} | birth_place = Stockport, Greater Manchester, England | death_date = | death_place = | party = Labour Co-op | spouse = | relations = | children = | education = | alma_mater = University of Nottingham | occupation = Politician | profession = | signature = | website = {{URL|http://www.tomcopley.com/}} | footnotes = }}
'''Tom Phillip Copley''' (born 11 May 1985) is a British Labour Party and Co-operative Party politician, serving as the Deputy Mayor of London for Housing and Residential Development.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Copley, Tom Phillip, (born 11 May 1985), Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development, Greater London Authority, since 2020 |url=https://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-256310 |access-date=2022-07-27 |website=WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO |language=en |doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u256310|isbn=978-0-19-954088-4 }}</ref><ref name = "tweet">{{cite tweet |author= Tom Copley |user= tomcopley |number= 1242108205007765512| title= Yesterday was my last day as a member of the @londonassembly. Today is my first day in my new role as Deputy Mayor for Housing. It's been a huge privilege to represent Londoners on the Assembly for eight years. I also want to say a big thank you to the @CityHallLabour team}}</ref> He served as a London wide member of the London Assembly from 2012 to 2020 and is a former councillor on Lewisham Council.<ref>{{cite web |title=Councillor Tom Copley |url=http://councilmeetings.lewisham.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=3016 |website=Lewisham Council|date = 29 July 2021}}</ref>
==Early life==
Copley studied at Bishop Wordsworth's School in Salisbury, before going on to study Politics at the University of Nottingham.<ref name="tomcopley1">{{cite web |url=http://tomcopley.com/?page_id=51 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120726230621/http://tomcopley.com/?page_id=51 |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 July 2012 |title=About Me |publisher=Tom Copley |date= |accessdate=2012-05-25 }}</ref>
==Career==
Prior to his election as a London Assembly Member, Copley worked for Searchlight, the anti-racist and anti-fascist organisation.<ref name="tomcopley1"/> He has also worked as the local organiser and agent for the Labour Party in Camden and on Ken Livingstone's successful campaign to be selected as Labour's candidate for the 2012 London mayoral election.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://richardosley.wordpress.com/2011/03/03/dismore-claims-he-is-kens-man-but-what-about-tom |title=Dismore claims he is Ken's man… but what about Tom? |last=Osley |first=Richard |publisher=Richard Osley |date=2011-03-03 |accessdate=2013-03-10}}</ref>
Copley was Chair of London Young Labour from 2008 to 2009 and sat as London representative on the Young Labour National Committee from 2008 to 2011. In 2010, he stood for election to Camden Council in the Haverstock ward, but was unsuccessful.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Teale |first=Andrew |title=Haverstock Ward |url=https://www.andrewteale.me.uk/leap/ward/68/ |access-date=2022-07-27 |website=Local Elections Archive Project}}</ref>
He was placed fourth on Labour's assembly list for the 2012 London Assembly election<ref>{{cite web|last=Ferguson |first=Mark |url=http://labourlist.org/2011/07/labour-announces-london-assembly-candidates/ |title=Labour announces London Assembly candidates |publisher=Labourlist.org |date=2011-07-13 |accessdate=2012-05-25}}</ref> and was elected as a London-wide assembly member in May 2012<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.camdennewjournal.com/news/2012/may/labour-watch-boris-win-again-score-big-consolation-prizes |title=Labour watch Boris win again but score big consolation prizes |publisher=Camden New Journal |date=2012-05-05 |accessdate=2012-05-25}}</ref> after Labour received 41.1% of the vote.<ref>[http://www.londonelects.org.uk/download/file/fid/509 Final Results. 2012 GLA Elections] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120508133544/http://www.londonelects.org.uk/download/file/fid/509 |date=8 May 2012 }}. londonelects.org.uk</ref> He remains the youngest person ever to be elected to the London Assembly. He was re-elected as a Londonwide member in 2016 as the second-placed candidate on Labour's Londonwide list.<ref name="2016election">{{cite web|url=https://londonelects.org.uk/im-voter/election-results/results-2016|title=Results 2016 | London Elects|publisher=londonelects.org.uk|accessdate=2019-08-14}}</ref>
In May 2018, Copley was elected to represent the Sydenham ward on Lewisham London Borough Council, as one of three Labour councillors.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Teale |first=Andrew |title=Sydenham Ward |url=https://www.andrewteale.me.uk/leap/ward/525/ |access-date=2022-07-27 |website=Local Elections Archive Project}}</ref>
Copley was reselected as one of Labour's Londonwide list candidates for the 2020 London Assembly election,<ref name="reselection2020">{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/tomcopley/status/1179359293923106818|title=I'm delighted to have been shortlisted to go forward to the all member ballot for reselection as a Labour @LondonAssembly candidate. Thank you to the 24 CLPs who nominated me, and 11 affiliates who nominated or endorsed me. Ballots will go out to London members later this month | Twitter|publisher=twitter.com|accessdate=2019-10-02}}</ref> though he was appointed to his Deputy Mayoral role and thus dropped out of the race before the order of candidates was determined.
Following his appointment as Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development, Copley resigned as a member of the Assembly<ref name="tweet" /> and was replaced by the fifth member on Labour's 2016 Londonwide list, Alison Moore.<ref name="resignation">{{cite web|url=https://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/18344169.labours-alison-moore-murad-qureshi-join-london-assembly/|title=Labour's Alison Moore and Murad Qureshi join London Assembly | East London and West Essex Guardian Series|date=30 March 2020 |publisher=guardian-series.co.uk|accessdate=2020-04-03}}</ref> In May 2021, he resigned from his seat in Lewisham after three years, prior to serving a full term.<ref name=":0" />
Copley served as Chair of the Assembly's Housing Committee, and also sat on the Transport, Confirmation Hearings, GLA Oversight and Planning committees for 2019-20.<ref name="Assembly Committee Membership">{{cite web|url=https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/membership_grid_2019-20.pdf|title=London Assembly – Membership of Committees/Bodies and Terms of Reference 2019/20 | London Assembly|publisher=london.gov.uk|accessdate=2019-08-14|archive-date=14 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814185249/https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/membership_grid_2019-20.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> He has been strongly critical of the failed Garden Bridge project,<ref name="gbridge1">{{cite web|url=https://www.citymetric.com/fabric/story-incompetence-arrogance-privilege-and-power-brief-history-garden-bridge-4484|title="A story of incompetence, arrogance, privilege and power": A brief history of the Garden Bridge | CityMetric|publisher=citymetric.com|accessdate=2019-10-02}}</ref> campaigned for greater transparency on the issue,<ref name="gbridge2">{{cite web|url=https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/london-assembly-announces-fresh-garden-bridge-probe/10037250.article|title=London Assembly announces fresh Garden Bridge probe | Architects Journal|date=15 November 2018|publisher=architectsjournal.co.uk|accessdate=2019-10-02}}</ref> and served as Chair of the Assembly's Garden Bridge Working Group.<ref name="gbridge3">{{cite web|url=https://www.london.gov.uk/about-us/london-assembly/london-assembly-committees/garden-bridge-working-group|title=Garden Bridge Working Group | London City Hall|date=5 April 2019|publisher=london.gov.uk|accessdate=2019-10-02}}</ref>
Following his election to the London Assembly, Copley, who is gay, was made a patron of LGBT Labour.<ref>[http://www.lgbtlabour.org.uk/honorary_presidents Patrons] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305065350/http://www.lgbtlabour.org.uk/honorary_presidents |date=5 March 2012 }}. lgbtlabour.org.uk</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=September 27, 2013 |title=London Assembly Member Tom Copley: Tesco Gay Best Friend inflatable doll 'reinforces stereotypes' |url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/09/27/london-assembly-member-tom-copley-tesco-gay-best-friend-inflatable-doll-reinforces-stereotypes/}}</ref> He is on the boards of the New Diorama Theatre in Camden and the humanist charity Humanists UK, formerly the British Humanist Association.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newdiorama.com/about-us/ndt-board-members |title=NDT Board Members |publisher=New Diorama Theatre}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/about/our-people/trustees/ |title=Trustees |publisher=British Humanist Association}}</ref>
As well as the Labour party, Copley is also a member of the Co-operative party, the Fabian Society,<ref name="tomcopley1" /> and both Unite the Union and the GMB.<ref name="copleyinterests">{{cite web|url=https://www.london.gov.uk/people/assembly/tom-copley/more-about/register-of-interests|title=Tom Copley – Register of interests | London City Hall|publisher=london.gov.uk|accessdate=2019-10-02}}</ref> He is a republican and a member of Republic, the campaign for an elected head of state.<ref name="tomcopley1" />
==Campaigns and activities==
Copley repeatedly challenged previous Mayor of London Boris Johnson over housing issues in London.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/user/copleyt |title=Tom Copley – YouTube |publisher=Tom Copley |accessdate=2013-03-10}}</ref> He has called for the introduction of a German model of rent regulation to be introduced to regulate rents in the private rented sector.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mqt.london.gov.uk/mqt/public/question.do?id=44346 |title=Mayor answers to London |publisher=The London Assembly |accessdate=2013-03-10}}</ref>
In January 2013 he called for an investigation into allegations of blacklisting on the Crossrail project, claiming the practice was "almost endemic" in the construction industry.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.westendextra.com/news/2013/jan/crossrail-electrician-whistleblower-claims-victimisation-because-trade-union-activity |title=Labour politicians: 'We need to know there are no shady practices' |publisher=West End Extra |date=2013-01-18 |accessdate=2013-03-10 |archive-date=23 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130123093354/http://www.westendextra.com/news/2013/jan/crossrail-electrician-whistleblower-claims-victimisation-because-trade-union-activity |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In July 2013 Copley undertook a rapporteurship into the challenges facing small theatres in London.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.london.gov.uk/who-runs-london/the-london-assembly/investigations/small-theatres |title=London's Small Theatres |publisher=Greater London Authority |accessdate=2013-03-10}}</ref> This resulted in the ''Centre Stage'' report.<ref name="theatres">{{cite web|url=https://tomcopley.com/small-theatres-london-insecure-future-assembly-report-reveals%e2%80%8f/|title=Around half of small theatres in London 'insecure' about their future, new Assembly report reveals | Tom Copley AM|publisher=tomcopley.com|accessdate=2019-10-02}}{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
In 2016, he led a successful motion for the London Assembly to oppose the Prime Minister's plans to reinstate 100% religiously selective schools, citing evidence that this would harm London's community cohesion and discriminate against poorer families.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://humanism.org.uk/2016/11/02/breaking-news-london-assembly-vote-pits-them-against-number-10-plans-for-more-religious-selection-in-state-schools/|title=London Assembly vote pits them against Number 10 plans for more religious selection in state schools|date=2 November 2016|accessdate=10 July 2017|work=Humanists UK}}</ref>
Copley has campaigned extensively on housing issues including homelessness,<ref name="homelessness1">{{cite web|url=https://www.onlondon.co.uk/tom-copley-london-cannot-eradicate-rough-sleeping-on-its-own/|title=Tom Copley: London cannot eradicate rough sleeping on its own | OnLondon|date=17 September 2019|publisher=onlondon.co.uk|accessdate=2019-10-02}}</ref><ref name="homelessness2">{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/brexit-no-deal-boris-johnson-homeless-people-sadiq-khan-london-rough-sleeping-a9103681.html|title=EU citizens sleeping rough on Britain's streets are at risk of becoming the forgotten victims of a no-deal Brexit | Independent|date=13 September 2019|publisher=independent.co.uk|accessdate=2019-10-02}}</ref><ref name="homelessness3">{{cite web|url=https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/assembly/tom-copley/homeless-deaths-need-urgent-government-interventio|title=News from Tom Copley: Homeless deaths need urgent Government intervention | London City Hall|date=October 2019|publisher=london.gov.uk|accessdate=2019-10-02}}</ref> and the Right to Buy policy, on which he has produced two reports. The first of these, 'From Right to Buy to Buy to Let',<ref name="rtb1">{{cite web|url=https://tomcopley.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/From-Right-to-Buy-to-Buy-to-Let-Jan-2014.pdf|title=From Right to Buy to Buy to Let | Tom Copley AM|publisher=London Assembly Labour|accessdate=2019-10-02}}</ref> highlighted the large proportion of London council homes sold under the right to buy which end up in the private rented sector and called for sweeping reforms of the scheme. The 2019 follow up report, 'Right to Buy: Wrong for London',<ref name="rtb2">{{cite web|url=https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/rtb_report_feb_update.pdf|title=Right to Buy: Wrong for London | Tom Copley AM|publisher=London Assembly Labour|accessdate=2019-10-02}}</ref> focused on the money being spent by London Boroughs renting back their former properties and called for the scheme to be abolished entirely in London.<ref name="rtb3">{{cite web|url=https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/assembly/tom-copley/right-to-buy-wrong-for-london|title=News from Tom Copley: Councils fork out millions renting back Right to Buy properties | London City Hall|date=21 January 2019|publisher=london.gov.uk|accessdate=2019-10-02}}</ref>
In May 2019, he released a report – 'Slums of the Future: Permitted Development conversions in London' on the impact of the extension of permitted development rights whereby developers are able to convert office space to homes without planning oversight.<ref name="pd1">{{cite web|url=https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/slums-of-the-future-permitted-development-conversions-in-london-by-tom-copley-am.pdf|title=Slums of the Future: Permitted Development conversions in London | Tom Copley AM|publisher=London Assembly Labour|accessdate=2019-10-02}}</ref> In this report, Copley highlighted the poor quality and affordability of these homes and called for an end to Permitted Development rights for any conversions to residential homes.
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Copley, Tom}} Category:1985 births Category:Living people Category:Labour Co-operative Members of the London Assembly Category:People educated at Bishop Wordsworth's School Category:English gay politicians Category:English republicans Category:English atheists Category:English humanists Category:Gay feminists Category:British male feminists Category:British socialist feminists Category:Alumni of the University of Nottingham Category:London AMs 2012–2016 Category:London AMs 2016–2021 Category:UK councillors 2018–2022 Category:Labour Co-operative mayors and deputy mayors of London