WITH reference to the letter in the Post, 15th July, 2009, from John Biggs which outlined poverty in the East London boroughs, I would appreciate the opportunity to tell your readers a little of my family s history. My mother came from a family of twelve

WITH reference to the letter in the Post, 15th July, 2009, from John Biggs which outlined poverty in the East London boroughs, I would appreciate the opportunity to tell your readers a little of my family's history.

My mother came from a family of twelve - her mother and eleven children, four boys and seven girls, their father died of consumption when he was relatively young. They lived in a two bedroom cottage in Limehouse, an area in which everyone voted Labour and everyone was at or near the poverty level. Despite the passing years, the East London boroughs are still largely the domain of Labour voters and are still the home of large numbers of people who are close to the poverty line. Yet John Biggs insinuates that the fault lies with Boris Johnson who has been London's mayor for less than two years.