Presenting Cllr Tom Davey, Tory-run Barnet Council’s lead member for housing, explaining he’s not worried about the lack of affordable housing pushing the poor out of the borough — because he wants the rich there!

This absolutely shocking footage was recorded at a recent budget meeting by the Barnet Bugle.

Tom Davey: If there is such a problem with Barnet, if Barnet is such a terrible place to live and if it so unaffordable, why are people flocking to Barnet and why are house prices going up? It’s because people want to live here.

Opposition councillor: They’re the ones that can afford it.

Tom Davey: And they’re the people we want!

While his smirking colleagues were clearly impressed by his “off the cuff” speech, Davey won’t be the last councillor to come a cropper following Eric Pickles’ edict that bloggers should be allowed to film meetings.