London's murder rate has fallen to its lowest level in decades, according to official figures released on Monday, 12 January 2026. Mayor Sadiq Khan declared the data a powerful rebuttal to what he called "dystopian" claims about crime in the capital, specifically those propagated by former US President Donald Trump.
Record Low Figures Challenge Political Narratives
The Metropolitan Police recorded 97 homicides in London during 2025, a significant drop from 109 the previous year. This represents the fewest murders in the city since 2014. Crucially, when adjusted for population, the rate stands at just 1.1 homicides per 100,000 people. This is the lowest level since comparable records began in 1997.
"There are some politicians and commentators who've been spamming social media with an endless stream of distortions and untruths, painting an image of a dystopian London," Mayor Khan told The Associated Press. "And nothing could be further from the truth."
Khan's comments were a direct response to a decade of insults from Donald Trump, who in September claimed crime in London was "through the roof." Trump has repeatedly labelled Khan a "stone-cold loser" and a "terrible mayor," and has baselessly accused him of wanting to introduce Sharia law to the city.
How London Compares and What's Behind the Drop
The new statistics place London favourably against other major global capitals. The Met Police noted that Paris has a rate of 1.6 per 100,000, New York 2.8, and Berlin 3.2.
City officials attribute the decline in violent crime to a dual strategy:
- Targeted policing focused on disrupting organised crime networks.
- The work of a violence reduction unit designed to steer young people away from gang involvement.
A More Nuanced Picture of Crime in the Capital
While the murder rate provides a positive headline, other crime indicators present a more complex picture. The Office for National Statistics reports a surge in shoplifting, and many Londoners are familiar with the problem of phone-snatching.
The Crime Survey for England and Wales, which measures people's experiences of crime rather than relying solely on police reports, found that overall crime rose by 7% in the year to March 2025 compared to the previous 12 months. However, it remains substantially lower than levels seen in 2017.
Narratives depicting London as a crime-ridden city under Labour's Mayor Khan have proliferated on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and are often echoed by opposition politicians, frequently alongside anti-immigrant rhetoric.
"There are certain politicians, certain commentators who have been using London as a punchbag to fit their own political agenda," Khan stated. He countered by championing London's global status, citing its top rankings for tourism, sport, culture, international students, and foreign direct investment.
"We are the antithesis to everything these nativists believe in," Khan asserted, addressing critics from Trump and US Vice President JD Vance to their "imitators" in Europe and the UK.
