Sadiq Khan Confronted Over 10-Year Record as London Assembly Member Demands Accountability
After a decade as Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan faced one of the most direct challenges yet to his record during a London Assembly session. Conservative assembly member Susan Hall questioned why, despite repeated promises that the safety of Londoners was his top priority, police numbers have fallen and crime in several categories has risen sharply under his leadership.
The exchange exposed a familiar pattern: Khan defending his record by pointing to investment and selected positive statistics, while critics accuse him of cherry-picking data and refusing to accept responsibility for outcomes on the ground.
Police Numbers and the Safety Question
Hall directly challenged Khan on police numbers, noting that London now has around 400 fewer police officers than when he took office in 2016. She pointed out that despite Khan’s repeated claims that public safety was his number one priority, the capital has seen significant rises in certain crimes:
- Robbery up 43%
- Knife crime up 25%
- Sexual offences up 61%
- Shoplifting up 94%
- Theft from the person up 146%
Khan responded by arguing that the previous Conservative government had cut police funding by £1.2 billion and that his administration had responded by increasing the policing precept on council tax and using business rates to protect officer numbers. He claimed that overall police numbers are now higher than at the end of the previous mayor’s term and highlighted reductions in homicides, gun crime, and burglaries.
Accusations of Cherry-Picking Statistics
The exchange became heated when Hall accused Khan of consistently selecting only the statistics that suited his narrative. Khan listed improvements in violence with injury, burglary, homicide, and gun crime since 2016. Hall countered that overall crime is up nearly a quarter since he became mayor and that Londoners are experiencing the reality of rising robbery, knife crime, and shoplifting on a daily basis.
Khan insisted he was not cherry-picking, but critics argue that after ten years in power, the public is less interested in selective figures and more concerned with whether people feel safer walking the streets, whether small businesses are protected, and whether the police have the resources and confidence to respond effectively.
The Core Issue: Taking Responsibility
Perhaps the most pointed moment came when Hall pressed Khan on whether he would take any culpability for what she described as a “litany of failures” after a decade in office. Instead of directly addressing the question of responsibility, Khan listed achievements such as the Ultra Low Emission Zone, free school meals for primary school children, and increased funding for rough sleeping.
Assembly members accused him of arrogance and a refusal to self-reflect. One member told him bluntly that Londoners “can’t afford to live” because housebuilding targets have been missed, that police stations are effectively closed to the public, and that transport is suffering from gridlock and ageing stock.
Khan responded by pointing to projects such as the Elizabeth line, the Night Tube, and the Silvertown Tunnel, arguing that many delays and cost overruns originated under the previous government. Critics maintain that after ten years, he can no longer credibly blame everything on his predecessors.
Shoplifting and the Erosion of Public Confidence
A significant portion of the debate focused on the sharp rise in shoplifting and retail crime. Khan acknowledged that shop workers have been assaulted and that many retailers have stopped reporting incidents because they believe nothing will be done. He spoke about changes in police response and the importance of neighbourhood policing.
However, members argued that after a decade in charge, it was no longer acceptable for the mayor to treat rising retail crime as someone else’s problem. They said small businesses — the backbone of London’s high streets — are being hit particularly hard, and that the perception of lawlessness is damaging public confidence in policing and the rule of law.
A Pattern of Deflection?
Throughout the session, Khan repeatedly returned to his investments in policing and transport, and to policies such as clean air measures. His critics say this reveals a deeper problem: after ten years in power, he remains more comfortable talking about inputs (money spent, policies introduced) than outputs (whether Londoners actually feel safer, whether transport works reliably, or whether the city is becoming more liveable).
For many Londoners, the question is simple. After a decade as mayor, does Sadiq Khan accept any responsibility for the state of the capital today — or will every problem continue to be someone else’s fault?
The assembly exchange laid bare the growing frustration among opposition members that Khan has been in office long enough to own both the successes and the failures of his time in City Hall. Whether he chooses to do so remains to be seen.
