London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has hit back at critics who claim the capital is unsafe, citing a drop in the murder rate to its lowest level in over a decade. However, data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows a mixed picture, with knife crime and sexual offences rising over the same period.
Knife crime, or 'sharp instrument offences', increased from 9,752 in 2015/2016 to 16,344 in 2024/2025, a 10-year high. Compared with the previous year, knife crime rose by about eight per cent. However, NHS data reveals that hospital admissions for stabbings have fallen by 29% over the past five years, from 1,350 to 955, suggesting a decline in serious knife-related violence.
Sexual offences recorded by police rose from 16,147 in 2015/2016 to 26,803 in 2024/2025. The ONS cautions that these figures do not provide a reliable measure of trends due to changes in recording practices and victim reporting. The Met Police has invested £11 million in digital forensics to improve case outcomes.
Mobile phone thefts have surged, with 117,211 reported in 2024, up from 91,481 in 2019. Only one per cent of such thefts result in a charge or conviction. Meanwhile, homicides fell to 97 in 2025, a 36% decrease from 153 in 2015.
Sir Sadiq said: 'Many people have been trying to talk London down, but the evidence tells a very different story.' Reform mayoral candidate Laila Cunningham and US President Donald Trump have previously criticised London's safety record.
