At the 2010 general election he was the party's candidate in Beckenham, where he again finished third behind the Conservative and Liberal Democrats candidates. Damien was elected as a councillor for Lewisham Central in 2010 and became the cabinet member for housing in 2014. In 2017, Damien was selected as the Labour Party's candidate for the directly elected Mayor of Lewisham elections in May 2018. In 2018 he was elected Mayor of Lewisham with 54% of the vote. In 2022, he was re-elected with an increased majority and 58% of the vote.
