𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

London Mayor Sadiq Khan was jeered at the London Assembly today during a heated exchange with Conservative member Alessandro Georgiou, who accused him of misleading Londoners on crime. Mr Georgiou challenged Sir Sadiq over increases since 2016, citing Metropolitan Police figures: knife crime up 27%, violence against the person up 26%, robbery up 57%, theft up 37%, shoplifting up 109%, and sexual offences up 64%. Overall crime, he said, had risen 26% under Sir Sadiq’s leadership.

Mr Georgiou asked: “How can you sit there with a straight face and say crime is down? Don’t Londoners deserve the truth about the state of crime in the capital from you?” Sir Sadiq, sitting beside Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, replied that Londoners are less likely to be victims of violence with injury than elsewhere in England and Wales. He noted progress in reducing homicides, the most serious crime.

He acknowledged rising concern over high-volume offences like shoplifting.

Mr Georgiou interrupted: “So the answer is, you don’t want to talk about the truth. You spoke about random date ranges that fit your narrative.

“That’s not how crime statistics work. If you don’t like what I’ve read out, speak to the commissioner next to you and ask if his officers are reporting the truth.

“Either you think he’s a liar, or I’m a liar, or the crimes didn’t happen. Apologise to Londoners for allowing crime to skyrocket during your tenure. Just apologise, and I’ll end the exchange.”

Sir Sadiq responded by listing reductions: theft from motor vehicles down 18%.

Mr Georgiou interjected: “Over what date range since you became mayor—not the last month, the last nine years.”

Sir Sadiq said burglary had fallen 29% over that period.

Mr Georgiou asked: “So the commissioner’s stats are wrong?”

Sir Sadiq, referring to the Conservatives, said: “This was once the party of law and order and polite manners.”

Mr Georgiou shot back: “Well, not law and order in London under you, mate.”

Sir Sadiq replied: “It must have looked great in front of the mirror this morning—practising the question. I’m sorry it’s a damp squib.”

Jeers followed and Mr Georgiou’s colleague Susan Hall told Sir Sadiq: “It’s a shame you don’t practise answering questions.”

Sir Mark Rowley said: “Reporting of violence against women and girls has been growing for a decade, which is a positive thing, because it is so massively under-reported. So some crimes like murder, the recorded crime is highly accurate. 

Some like violence against women with girls, we’re encouraging more reporting because it’s under-reported.”