Sadiq Khan grilled on police funding by Susan Hall

       Sadiq Khan has been accused of "deliberately underfunded the police" to pay for election gimmicks as he faces a huge challenge to hold on as London Mayor. Conservative London Mayor candidate Susan Hall was reacting to an announcement by Khan that he will end peak time fares for Transport for London on Fridays.

       The Labour London Mayor insisted that the trial period for the new cheaper Fridays was caused by the fact London is still quiet at the end of the week after lockdown.

       But the move was seen as "an election gimmick" by Ms Hall who accused Khan of holding back money from policing to pay for gimmicks to help him get reelected.

       Her remarks came just two days after it was revealed that policing failures under Khan's tenure have seen knife crime in the capital go up by 22 percent with 1,000 deaths. Home Secretary James Cleverly wrote to the London Mayor with a warning pointing out that if it was not for the massive increase in London, knife crime would be falling in the UK overall.

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       READ MORE: Sadiq Khan blamed for UK knife crime rise with 1,000 killed on his watch

       Susan Hall has warned that police funding has been diverted to election gimmicks. (Image: Getty)

       Ms Hall told Express.co.uk: "This is yet another electoral stunt from Sadiq Khan, who has chosen to underfund our police for eight years just so he can splash the cash in an election year.

       "Sadiq Khan dishonestly told the London Assembly on Thursday he didn't know what he was going to spend this money on, while his taxpayer funded advisers were secretly setting up briefings with a handful of journalists.

       "He is allergic to scrutiny and incapable of leading our police, and it is victims of crime who have suffered most under his arrogant and incompetent leadership. This is nothing more than an election gimmick Sadiq Khan will cancel if reelected in May."

       The remarks have come as advisers to Khan have admitted that they are nervous about the election in May even though Labour has a massive poll lead over the Tories across the country and has usually been stronger in London.

       They privately fear that his hugely unpopular expansion of ULEZ with a ￡12.50 charge on thousands of motorists after the government has been forced to bail out Transport for London under his watch has infuriated many voters and put his reelection in peril.

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       Travel on Fridays will not have peak time charges for a trial period (Image: Getty)

       A source close to the London Mayor hit back against Ms Hall's comments.

       The source said: "It’s quite extraordinary that the Tory candidate for Mayor opposes providing cheaper fares for Londoners, and is against giving a boost to businesses in our retail, hospitality and culture sectors.

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       “The choice is now crystal clear - cheaper fares under Labour’s Sadiq Khan, or rising fares under the Tories. Londoners simply can’t afford the Tories to do to London what they’ve done to the rest of the country.”

       Making his annoncement, Mr Khan said: "London has really bounced back since the pandemic, but Fridays are still quieter, with knock-on effects on our shops, cafes and culture. Lower fares on Fridays will help Londoners make the most of our city."

       The London Mayor has blamed a lack of government funding for a lack of Metropolitan Police resources.

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