Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, is under scrutiny as new figures reveal that over 1,000 people have been murdered during his tenure.

The alarming statistics come as a stark reminder of the growing concern over crime levels in the city. Police estimates indicate that 1,008 homicides have been recorded in the 2,773 days since Sadiq Khan was first elected as mayor, translating to approximately 130 families tragically affected by these incidents every year during his mayoralty.

The grim tally includes 1,003 homicides recorded up to the end of 2023, with an additional five occurring in the first ten days of January 2024. These sobering numbers have raised questions about the effectiveness of Khan’s policies in addressing the rising crime rates in London.

Despite the surge in homicides, Mayor Khan has made headlines for other reasons. Notably, he has declined to allocate £70 million in funds to support the Metropolitan Police’s crucial ‘New Met For London’ reforms. Instead, he has proposed a substantial £30 million pay deal to unions in an attempt to avert potential Tube strikes that could cripple the city’s transportation system.

Critics argue that Khan’s priorities seem misplaced, given the pressing issue of crime. Tory mayoral candidate Susan Hall expressed her dismay at the grim statistics, saying, “I am deeply saddened to hear that over 1,000 people have been killed in London since Sadiq Khan took charge eight years ago.

Louie French, the Conservative MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup, emphasized Khan’s failure to address crime adequately, stating, “Sadiq Khan’s biggest failure is arguably his record on crime. Growing up in the London suburbs was relatively safe, but now parents worry about sending their kids to school due to the surge in knife crime. London needs a new mayor who is focused on policing and less so on their pronouns and PR.”

Additionally, the stepmother of murder victim Jodie Chesney, who tragically lost her life in a stabbing incident in 2019, criticized Khan’s priorities, accusing him of being more interested in revenue generation through the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) than in addressing the pressing issue of knife crime.

In response to the accusations, a spokesman for Mayor Khan stated that public safety remains a top priority for the mayor. The spokesperson highlighted that Khan has consistently met with bereaved families affected by violent crime and acknowledged the profound impact it has had on them.

The spokesperson further noted that there have been substantial government cuts to policing and youth services over the past decade, coinciding with a nationwide increase in recorded violent crime. However, the mayor’s office emphasized that London has witnessed a decline in homicides, gun crime, and knife-related injuries among young people since 2016, thanks to substantial investments in policing and early intervention initiatives through the Violence Reduction Unit.

Despite the ongoing debate surrounding crime rates in London and the allocation of funds, these figures underscore the urgent need for comprehensive strategies to address the complex issue of violence in the city.