Sadiq Khan grilled on knife crime in London
Sadiq Khan stumbled through an awkward New Year’s Eve interview in which he was put on the spot over London’s knife crime epidemic - and asked to explain why the capital was “doing so badly”.
Mr Khan was interviewed by Sky News’s Mark Austin as he prepared to welcome 2024 with a spectacular fireworks display in central London.
However, referencing a social media post by the London Mayor in which he spoke of being “humbled by the things we've achieved together”, Mr Austin said: “Knife crime is rising at the fastest rate in five years, knifepoint robbery is rising by more than a third. Where is the achievement in that?”
Mr Khan replied: “One knife crime, one homicide, is one too many but because of our public health approach in London, we've seen since I've been there a reduction in those under-25s injured with a knife, we’ve seen a reduction in the number of homicides.
“I’m not complacent at all but the public health approach means investing in enforcement, more police officers at a time of austerity, but also we’ve invested in youth workers and youth services as well.”
Stay up-to-date with the latest Politics news Join us on WhatsApp Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info
Don't miss... Olaf Scholz won't lose job despite Germany coalition's unpopularity, says expert [LATEST]
London Mayor Sadiq Khan was grilled by Sky News's Mark Austin (Image: Sky News)
Stay up-to-date with the latest Politics news Join us on WhatsApp Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info
Mr Austin pointed out that official figures showed knifepoint robberies were up in London by 36 percent a year, equivalent to 8,000 incidents, in contrast to a five percent drop in the West Midlands and a 16 percent drop in Greater Manchester.
He asked: “Why is London doing so badly on knife crime and knife robberies?”
Mr Khan replied: “The biggest personal robbery is of mobile phones. Twenty or 30 years ago car manufacturers managed to reduce the theft of car stereos, reduce the thefts of Tom Toms from cars by designing away the possibility of doing so.”
Mr Austin then pointed out that his question was about the prevalence of knives in robberies, with Mr Khan insisting: “That's because they try to steal the mobile phones.
Become an Express Premium member Support fearless journalism Read The Daily Express online, advert free Get super-fast page loading
Start 30-day
FREE trial
Don't miss...
Kemi Badenoch lists 12 Brexit trade wins in 2023, with more to come [INSIGHT]
Olaf Scholz won't lose job despite Germany coalition's unpopularity, says expert [ANALYSIS]
British man chased man into sea after sickening machete attack [PICTURES]
New Year's fireworks celebrations in London (Image: Getty)
He said: “So if you can make a second-hand phone useless to a robber or a thief that means the temptation to do so is going away.
"Enforcement's really important so we're using data now to make sure we have police officers targeting those parts of our city which we know are, in inverted commas, hotspots.
“So it’s a combination of using data to target the hotspots, town centres transport hubs, but also working with the mobile phone manufacturers and the platforms to make sure there is no resale value of a phone.”
In his forward to a Policy Exchange report entitled Knife Crime in the Capital in 2021, Sir Mark Rowley, who is now Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said: “All agree that knife crime is a major political and operational priority for policing, especially in London.
Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley (Image: Getty)
Trending
“It has been for several years and this report shows why the temporary reduction in violent types of knife crime over the last year will be just that, temporary.
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Distraught family of 16-year-old boy stabbed to death on NYE speak of heartbreak
5 Comments
'Utterly chilling' moment thug knocks man out before robbing him blind
89 Comments
Teen boy who was stabbed to death on New Year's Eve in London is named
1 Comments
Brits run for their lives in horror beach scenes as random man 'slashes tourists'
156 Comments
Laurence Fox's furious tirade at London cops after children's iPads are taken by officers
43 Comments
Police chiefs have lost their way - they need to solve real crimes, says Patrick O'Flynn
41 Comments
Nottingham man killed in attack on Christmas Day
Comments
Hackney stabbing: Horror as boy, 4, knifed to death in home as mum charged with murder
Comments
Dog owner stabs man after being confronted over pet fouling in London street
Comments
Lawyers seek police Investigation into Post Office executives over Horizon scandal
33 Comments
Woman, 22, stabbed to death in Christmas Eve 'murder' as police arrest 16-year-old boy
30 Comments
British tourists stabbed on beach in Morocco in horror attack as police probe terror link
Comments
This is Labour's plan to deal with migrant boats, reveals Yvette Cooper
290 Comments
Mother from the US accused of killing two of her kids arrested in UK after going on run
5 Comments
Sadiq Khan accused of 'failing' Londoners as new figures show jump in Tube crime
129 Comments
Sadiq Khan's ULEZ enforcers are turning London into dystopian nightmare, warns Susan Hall
63 Comments
Londoners face grim reality under Sadiq Khan's dreadful leadership, says Susan Hall
98 Comments
Martin Brunt on his new book and life as the Sky News crime correspondent
Comments
'Narcissistic' Sadiq Khan sparks backlash over London New Year's Eve fireworks 'ego trip'
1240 Comments
Boy, 16, stabbed to death in New Year's Eve horror attack at popular London beauty spot
Comments
Distraught family of 16-year-old boy stabbed to death on NYE speak of heartbreak
5 Comments
'Utterly chilling' moment thug knocks man out before robbing him blind
89 Comments
Teen boy who was stabbed to death on New Year's Eve in London is named
1 Comments
Brits run for their lives in horror beach scenes as random man 'slashes tourists'
156 Comments
Laurence Fox's furious tirade at London cops after children's iPads are taken by officers
43 Comments
Police chiefs have lost their way - they need to solve real crimes, says Patrick O'Flynn
41 Comments
Nottingham man killed in attack on Christmas Day
Comments
Hackney stabbing: Horror as boy, 4, knifed to death in home as mum charged with murder
Comments
Dog owner stabs man after being confronted over pet fouling in London street
Comments
Lawyers seek police Investigation into Post Office executives over Horizon scandal
33 Comments
Woman, 22, stabbed to death in Christmas Eve 'murder' as police arrest 16-year-old boy
30 Comments
British tourists stabbed on beach in Morocco in horror attack as police probe terror link
Comments
This is Labour's plan to deal with migrant boats, reveals Yvette Cooper
290 Comments
Mother from the US accused of killing two of her kids arrested in UK after going on run
5 Comments
Sadiq Khan accused of 'failing' Londoners as new figures show jump in Tube crime
129 Comments
Sadiq Khan's ULEZ enforcers are turning London into dystopian nightmare, warns Susan Hall
63 Comments
Londoners face grim reality under Sadiq Khan's dreadful leadership, says Susan Hall
98 Comments
Martin Brunt on his new book and life as the Sky News crime correspondent
Comments
'Narcissistic' Sadiq Khan sparks backlash over London New Year's Eve fireworks 'ego trip'
1240 Comments
Boy, 16, stabbed to death in New Year's Eve horror attack at popular London beauty spot
Comments
Distraught family of 16-year-old boy stabbed to death on NYE speak of heartbreak
5 Comments
'Utterly chilling' moment thug knocks man out before robbing him blind
89 Comments
Teen boy who was stabbed to death on New Year's Eve in London is named
1 Comments
Brits run for their lives in horror beach scenes as random man 'slashes tourists'
156 Comments
Laurence Fox's furious tirade at London cops after children's iPads are taken by officers
43 Comments
Police chiefs have lost their way - they need to solve real crimes, says Patrick O'Flynn
41 Comments
Nottingham man killed in attack on Christmas Day
Comments
“By breaking down month by month stabbing rates over the course of the pandemic, Policy Exchange shows that much of the reduction in knife crime since 2019 is attributable to coronavirus restrictions, not to a successful strategy to counter it.”
He added: “This report reveals that widely reported fatal stabbings are merely the tip of the iceberg in the knife crime data.
"Below the surface, hidden away in the most dangerous estates in the capital, hundreds of injuries are inflicted on young people by knives every year.”
Related articles From Trump to Putin 2024 is the 'year of elections' with world's fate at stake Chaos for Khan as European drivers launch ￡6.5million ULEZ legal challenge Sadiq Khan accused of 'failing' Londoners as new figures show jump in Tube crime 'Sadiq Khan's ULEZ enforcers are turning London into dystopian nightmare' ULEZ-style charges spreading across UK as councils 'extract' cash from drivers