In the first of our new web series, candidates for Mayor of Hackney, tell you what they think about affordable in the borough.

Labour: Mr Pipe explained how plans were in place to build 600 new affordable homes, and that Hackney was the third biggest builder of affordable homes nationwide. Labour planned to build a “guaranteed” 1,500 homes over the next term, and hoped for an additional 500, he said.

Greens: Mischa Borris said she did not believe that the current definition of “affordable homes” was actually affordable. Demanding an end to Right to Buy schemes, she called for a redefinition of what was an ‘affordable’ home.

Independent: Mustafa Korel defended the Right to Buy scheme, saying that his mother would not have been able to afford her house without it. He added: “We need to replenish the homes that are sold through right to buy. If you want affordable housing it’s got to be a council house.”

Lib-Dems: The party defended its pledge to build 12,000 homes if they controlled the council, saying there were not enough affordable homes. Mr Harms also attacked the number of affordable homes being proposed at the controversial Wilmer Place development in Stoke Newington- calling it a “loss of affordable housing”.

Conservatives: Ms Gray said she believed in “incentives to encourage developers to build more affordable homes” and in more “imaginative solutions” to the problem, agreeing that more affordable homes were needed for residents. Working closely with the Mayor of London’s office would improve things, she said.