Chuka Umunna's My London

Home is…

In the middle of my constituency, Streatham. I’m a real homeboy, I can’t envisage myself moving anywhere else.

Earliest London memory?

Shopping for yam and garri in Brixton Market with my parents, aged about four.

Advice for a tourist?

Stand in the middle of Waterloo Bridge at dusk and look both ways, up the Thames towards Westminster and down the Thames towards East London. You will see two of the best views in London and appreciate the energy of the capital.

First thing you do when you arrive back in London?

Grab a copy of the Evening Standard and a latte from Perfect Blend on Streatham High Road.

Favourite shopping street?

Oxford Street on a Sunday or a bank holiday.

Best place for a nightcap?

Shochu Lounge underneath Roka on Charlotte Street for a cocktail.

How would you like your obituary to read?

‘He made a positive difference to people’s lives.’ It’s the reason I went into politics.

Best thing a London cabbie has ever said to you?

I don’t get cabs very often, I rely on trains and the Tube.

Biggest extravagance?

Lattes. It horrifies me that I spend well over £150 on coffee a month. I’m always on the go so it’s an energy booster.

What would you do as Mayor for the day?

Cut everybody’s transport fares. I think people are really feeling the squeeze at the moment and every little helps.

Last album you downloaded?

Incognito’s album Surreal, they’re one of my favourite jazz-funk bands. They keep it real and they keep it London.

At the moment you are…

Urging the government to adopt a proper strategy for growth so that we can tackle unemployment in London. I’m also seeking to reduce serious youth violence and gang activity in Lambeth as chair of the London Gangs Forum.

Who do you call to have fun?

My old friends from university and law school.

Last show you saw?

The musical FELA! at the National Theatre. It was lively, funky and full of soul, and I got the chance to shake a leg.

Favourite shops?

I used to DJ as a hobby so spent a lot of time in record shops, in particular Black Market Records in Soho, but since being elected I don’t play out any more. For clothes, I like House of Fraser, Selfridges and Zara. For books, Waterstone’s on Piccadilly. Earl Grey & Rose on Streatleigh Parade in Streatham does fantastic cakes.

Who’s your hero?

My father, who arrived in this country in the mid-1960s with almost nothing and went on to become extremely successful running an import-export business. He died when I was 13 but his memory lives on in my family.

Best meal ever?

Pork, black pudding mash and broad beans at Upstairs off Acre Lane in Brixton.

What do you collect?

No one has a right to be an MP for life and it is an extraordinary job, so I often keep bits and pieces for posterity.