A Christmas Note

Since being a councillor I have regularly produced and delivered my own Christmas cards across my ward, always funded from my own pocket (none of it charged as 'expenses'). I chose not to do that this year, as I am stepping down as a councillor in May 2026 at the next elections.

My Conservative colleagues are working hard in making sure that they are known to the community, more bumpf from me takes away from that.

So, this year, instead I am writing you all a short Christmas note.

Reflecting on 2025

2025 was a wild year, we've seen the surge of a new political force in the UK and a couple of Conservatives trotted across the floor to join them. If there was an election tomorrow then the outcome is pretty certain, but we're years away from a General Election and even 100 days is a long time in politics.

I have spent much of my year focused on housing as an issue, including launnching a housing specific newsletter. This is because I know the power of a good home, it's ability to change lives by providing security to those in need.

Here in Havering we have hundreds of local families stuck in temporary accommodation. Not only does this make it difficult for them to put down roots and find work, it also puts pressure on our NHS and social services. The costs are astronomical and I think we have the means to improve this situation.

A key part of that is going to be making sure our government and council get to work on social housing, making sure it is actually built and that it goes to those genuinely in need.

I got stuck in to housing debates at the Tory Conference and am speaking to a number of people nationally about housing policy. Two of Havering's three MPs were kind enough to meet with me and hear about my proposals and I plan to continue to push on this into 2026 and beyond.

What has struck me the most, however, about 2025 is the change in mood in the borough. Things feel lower than at any point for a long time.

For the first time ever a friend experienced racist abuse in Romford Town Centre, my inbox has filled with regular hate-filled messages, and politicians have sat by idly whilst this happens. Everyone is talking about things being 'done to' Havering rather than Havering doing things ourselves. We've lost hope.

The more I see how the council works, the more I see that we do actually have the tools available to make our town and borough a better place to live. The more I meet locals and use businesses here, the more I am filled with hope for our town.

The reality is that our political class thrive on this lack of hope and harmony. When they see misinformation leading to hatred and division they sit by silently as it serves them. Instead of challening or correcting, they allow the cloud of confusion and division to spread, with some even sowing those clouds themselves. Whilst our vulnerable are left in poor housing, our political elite distract with unimportant campaigns about 'identity'. We spend more time talking about our past than our future.

We need a change. We need new people involved in local politics and we need to start to speak hope and unity over our town.

Christmas gives us reason for hope

The Christmas story isn't just a warm and cosy fable that we tell ourselves once a year. Christmas, and the Christian faith itself, are not simply there for use by politicians who want to talk about 'heritage' and 'culture'.

Christmas is the very heart of Christianity. It is the story of God becoming man (unique to the Christian faith), living amongst us, and showing us that we can be better than who we are. The Christmas story is a powerful reminder that those of us in positions of authority have a duty of care for those around us, that we must give ourselves for others. Christmas is a story of a King who became a servant.

And, through his life, Christ did not simply serve those who liked him or himself. He reserved his harshest judgement for those who claimed to be the most righteous and 'religiously correct'. He smashed up the tables of those who were using the cultural faith for their own advantage. Christ, the story tell us, stepped off his throne in heaven to spend time with outcasts. He washed people's feet, he showed love and compassion to prostitutes and thieves, and he broke 'religious laws' that prohibited healing on certain days.

Christ, through his sacrifice and compassion, demonstrated hope for us all.

Christmas teaches us that when the powerful step down from their high place, when they decide to serve instead of being served, when they love the stranger and the vulnerable, a better society becomes a reality.

Whether you are a Christian or not, whether your faith is a cultural one or a spiritual one, we can be encoruaged and inspired by the life of Jesus of Nazerath.

This Christmas, I pray that our leaders will seek out how to lower themselves for the good of others, so that we can become the best community we can.

Merry Christmas to you all.

I want to end by wishing you all a very merry Christmas.

Being your councillor, serving the town for nearly 4 years, is an absolute honour. I'll make mistakes (a lot of them) and sometimes I'll get things right to. But nothing brings me more joy than meeting those doing good locally and putting others before themselves.

For the short time I have left as your councillor (and believe me, I'm not going to suddenly vanish and go silent after May 2026), I will be giving you all that I can.

Christ taught us that we are all made in the image of God and that everyone is worthy of being loved and served.

You are loved, you deserve to be served.

Merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Cllr David Taylor

---

Watch this Christmas message from Billy Graharm in 1953. Has anything changed?