HEADLINE STORY

Sadiq Khan’s former policing adviser says his children are ‘not safe’ on the streets

By: Keerthi Mohan

LONDON mayor’s former policing adviser has joined the Liberal Democrats saying his children were not safe on the streets because of escalating knife crimes.

Leroy Logan, who was an adviser to Sadiq Khan during his 2016 mayoral campaign and drafted his policing manifesto, also said Khan has been a disappointment as mayor of London.

Writing for The Mail, Logan said: “It’s no surprise to me that Sadiq Khan has been such a disappointment as Mayor of London.

“We’ve seen knife crime spiralling out of control as his approach has been at odds with his policing manifesto.

“If he had taken a more collaborative approach when he became mayor, we would not have the current rate of deaths on our streets.

“And it’s not just the deaths. It’s the fear that is enveloping our communities that is so distressing.

“We can’t go on like this. I don’t want my grandchildren to fear walking on the streets of London like my own children have done.”

Khan has been criticised for letting violent crimes to spiral out of control. The epidemic, he believes , is due to Tory cuts that has led to the closure of youth centres and lack of police officers on the streets.

He told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: “There is a link between deprivation, inequality, some exclusions as well.

“Also the fact there’s poor mental health and the increase in violent crime. Now, some of this is of course, and its accepted now by the government, the cuts in police numbers.

“Some of it though is the massive cuts in preventative service. So if a young person has had the youth club closed down, the youth services being cut, after schools facilities not there available, what happens is they may join a criminal gang or think it’s okay to pick up a knife.”