Crime in London has surged under Mayor Sadiq Khan, with knife offences reaching a record high and teenage killings remaining elevated, despite City Hall's claims of progress. Critics argue that Khan has failed to address systemic failures in the Metropolitan Police, which remains in special measures due to governance and performance issues.
Knife crime in the capital rose 22% in the year to September 2024, with 14,000 offences recorded – the second highest annual tally in over a decade. This compares to 9,086 knife crimes in the year before Khan took office in 2016. Overall knife killings also increased, from 59 in the year to March 2016 to 74 in the latest 12-month period, while knife robberies have soared.
Teenage killings remain a concern, with 21 recorded in 2024, down from a peak of 30 in 2021 but still higher than the 14 in 2022. Khan's tenure has also seen the Met criticised for institutional misogyny, racism and homophobia, as highlighted by Baroness Casey's report and Lady Elish Angiolini's inquiry into the murder of Sarah Everard by police officer Wayne Couzens.
Khan's office points to falls in homicides, gun crime and serious knife injuries among under-25s since 2016, as well as investment in violence reduction units and a gang exit programme. They also highlight £163 million spent on tackling violence against women and girls, including campaigns like 'have a word' and 'maaate' to change male behaviour.
However, Lady Angiolini's warning that there is 'nothing to stop another Wayne Couzens operating in plain sight within the Met' underscores the force's ongoing struggles. Khan has joined Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley in calling for law changes to make it easier to dismiss unsuitable officers, but critics argue that more decisive action is needed to restore public confidence.
