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Tag: Sadiq Khan

  • Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on Reducing Crime in London

    Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on Reducing Crime in London

    The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 29 December 2021.

    Tackling violence and making our communities safer is my top priority. Over the past four years and before the pandemic we’ve seen youth violence, knife crime and gun crime come down, but it’s clear that there is much more to do. Every death from violent crime is heart-breaking, devastating families and communities.

    We know the challenges of the pandemic have exacerbated the causes of crime and violence and that’s why this investment is so important and so timely. This new funding package of almost £50 million will provide dedicated funding for local authorities now and allow them to work together to tackle complex problems across borough boundaries and support local communities to tackle violence and reduce offending where they are.

    I am more determined than ever to be tough on crime by investing in our police – ensuring record numbers of officers on our streets, as well as being tough on the causes of crime by providing sustained investment to deliver positive opportunities for young Londoners who need it most.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on the Future of London

    Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on the Future of London

    The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 22 December 2021.

    This budget is about focusing on the issues that matter most to Londoners, working to build a safer, greener, fairer city. This means investing more in the police and tackling crime, building more genuinely affordable homes for Londoners, supporting businesses during this difficult time, skilling up Londoners for well-paid jobs, tackling air pollution and the climate emergency, and providing more opportunities for young Londoners to reach their potential.

    The pandemic is continuing to have a serious impact on London’s finances and the Government is still refusing to properly fund our public services, particularly the Met police, Transport for London and the London Fire Brigade. Raising council tax by £2.66 per month is not something I want to do, but the Government is leaving us with no choice if we are to help prevent the collapse of TfL and ensure our police officers and firefighters have the resources they need.

    Despite the difficult financial situation we face in London, I’m excited about the incredible programmes this budget will help us to fund next year, targeting our resources where they can make the biggest difference to Londoners. This includes: offering free training to anyone who is unemployed or low paid, providing a mentor to young Londoners in need, building more homes Londoners can actually afford, and investing millions on green projects so that we can continue to lead the way on tackling air pollution and climate change.

    I’ll never forget that London gave me the opportunities to go from a council estate to being Mayor of the greatest city on earth. As we seek to navigate and recover from this terrible pandemic, I’m determined to use this budget to help build London back as safer, greener, fairer and more prosperous city – putting the dark days of the pandemic behind us and building the better and brighter future all Londoners want and deserve.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on Bringing Hounslow Housing into Council Ownership

    Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on Bringing Hounslow Housing into Council Ownership

    The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 21 December 2021.

    I’m determined to continue increasing the number of council homes for Londoners and I’m delighted that Hounslow has committed to using investment from City Hall to bring so many properties back into council ownership. This will enable Hounslow to provide good quality and genuinely affordable homes to more than 500 families in London.

    London has a wonderful tradition of helping those in need, and I’m proud Hounslow will use some of the funding to help house vulnerable care leavers and Afghan refugees.

    Hounslow joins Islington in taking swift, bold action to help deliver the homes Londoners so desperately need. I’m hopeful that other boroughs will look to them and submit their own proposals. We also need to see ambition from Ministers to replicate the ‘Right to Buy-back’ scheme nationally, giving councils and housing associations the support they need to purchase much-needed homes.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on Rewilding London

    Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on Rewilding London

    The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 13 December 2021.

    The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. In London, we need to take bold action to ensure that we not only halt the decline of biodiversity in our natural environment but pave the way for growth and change. That’s why I’ve announced my new Rewilding Fund, which will help restore the capital’s precious wildlife sites, improve biodiversity and ensure all Londoners have a thriving web of nature on their doorstep. And as part of our Green New Deal, we’re supporting young Londoners to gain the skills required for jobs that help secure a future for London’s natural environment.

    I am proud to have helped London to be recognised as the world’s first National Park City in 2019, and this funding shows my commitment to protecting that status and doing all I can to protect London’s amazing network of green spaces, rivers and natural habitats.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2021 Statement on Stephen Port Inquest

    Sadiq Khan – 2021 Statement on Stephen Port Inquest

    The statement made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 11 December 2021.

    My thoughts today are with the families and friends of Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth and Jack Taylor.

    The evidence given to this inquest was deeply upsetting, and the quality of the investigation carried out by the Metropolitan Police Service at the time of the murders has raised a number of concerns. The impact this has had on the victims’ families and friends – on top of the devastating trauma of the murder of their loved ones – is profoundly distressing, and has damaged the confidence of the LGBTQ+ community in the police.

    While the Met Police has apologised for its failings and made changes since these horrific murders were committed, I have asked Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services [HMICFRS] to conduct an independent inspection into the standards of investigations carried out by the Met Police and ensure there is a clear plan of action.

    It is vital that London’s LGBTQ+ community has confidence in our police, and Baroness Casey’s independent review into the Met’s culture and standards, will address the issues of misogyny, sexism, racism and homophobia, and scrutinise police processes and standards of behaviour amongst officers and staff.

    These young men and their families deserved so much better and I will do everything in my power to make sure that the failings that contributed to the deaths of these innocent young men can never be repeated.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on ULEZ Expansion

    Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on ULEZ Expansion

    The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 10 December 2021.

    This shows how bold action reaps rewards on air quality and climate change. Just one month after expanding the world’s first Ultra Low Emission Zone, we have seen a significant reduction in the number of older, more polluting vehicles driving in our capital. This is vitally important because toxic air is an invisible killer, responsible for one of the biggest public health crises of our generation.

    In central London, the ULEZ has already helped cut toxic roadside nitrogen dioxide pollution by nearly half. But pollution isn’t just a central London problem. Everyone should have the right to breathe clean air, which is why expanding the ULEZ was a crucial step. The high compliance rate means that millions of Londoners are already benefiting from cleaner air.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on Keeping Homes Warm

    Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on Keeping Homes Warm

    The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 3 December 2021.

    It’s unacceptable that many Londoners can’t afford to keep their homes warm and instead suffer cold, damp conditions throughout winter. We know the economic impacts of the pandemic and rising fuel prices are likely to plunge even more London households into fuel poverty. That’s why from today, I’m reopening my Warmer Homes programme to support vulnerable Londoners this winter.

    I’m pleased that our £51 million commitment will directly help those living in ageing, energy-inefficient homes. This investment will help tackle the climate emergency and support Londoners with the skills they need for jobs in the green economy.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on Violence Reduction Unit Funding

    Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on Violence Reduction Unit Funding

    The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 3 December 2021.

    I am committed to tackling violence in our city and for City Hall to do all we can to help make communities safer. I set up London’s Violence Reduction Unit, England’s first, to lead an approach to tackling violence that is rooted in prevention and early intervention.

    We know that after school is a high-risk period for violence and that’s why it’s crucial that we invest in programmes like Stronger Futures to provide mentoring to support our young people and help them access positive opportunities where they live.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on TFL Funding

    Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on TFL Funding

    The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 30 November 2021.

    I agree with the Government and Mayors across the country when they say other regions should have “London-style” transport services.

    But the irony is that a failure to provide enough operational and capital funding for TfL means that it won’t be long before London itself will no longer have “London-style” transport services.

    Instead, we’ll be forced to move into managed decline – leading to run-down services reminiscent of the 1970s and 80s.

    This is no exaggeration.

    If the Government continues to starve TfL of funding, bus services would have to be reduced by almost a fifth, and Tube services would need to be cut by nearly 10 per cent.

    In practice, this could mean more than 100 bus routes being withdrawn and less frequent Tube timetables on a number of lines and branches. TfL is even having to look at potentially closing a whole Tube line to achieve the savings it may need to make.

    And that’s not all.

    There would also be an increase in road and tunnel closures due to a lack of money to maintain London’s key transport infrastructure.

    This combination of deteriorating public transport services and an increase in road and tunnel closures would cause wide-spread disruption and gridlock across the capital.

    Not only would this have a devastating effect on passengers, but it would put the national economic recovery at risk.

    Because there can be no national economic recovery without a London recovery, and there can no London recovery without a properly funded public transport network in the capital.

    On 11 December, the existing temporary funding deal between TfL and the Government comes to an end.

    So it’s time to remove short-term political thinking and to come together to call on the Government to provide the long-term funding TfL urgently needs.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on Homelessness in London over Christmas

    Sadiq Khan – 2021 Comments on Homelessness in London over Christmas

    The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 1 December 2021.

    Since becoming Mayor, I have made tackling rough sleeping a personal priority. From City Hall we are doing everything we can with the resources at our disposal to keep rough sleepers safe and I’m confident Londoners will once again show their generosity by backing my winter fundraising campaign and helping to support young Londoners who find themselves homeless.

    Even so, the generosity of Londoners alone cannot end rough sleeping in our capital. This time last year we were hailing the remarkable success of the ‘Everyone In’ programme for saving the lives of hundreds of vulnerable Londoners. Despite seeing what can be achieved when we work together, ministers now appear unwilling or unable to confront the appalling reality that hundreds of young Londoners could spend this Christmas sleeping on the streets.