A message in my inbox today:
| The question I am asked most as Mayor is: “What are you doing to tackle violent crime in London?” It’s something I’ve thought about and grappled with every day since I was first elected. I know you know this, but violent crime doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s often a by-product of deprivation, social alienation, increasing inequality and government cuts to public services including youth activities. Where the Government is failing to step up, City Hall is taking action. Today I’m pleased to announce that my Violence Reduction Unit has invested £5 million to help support London Boroughs in delivering prevention and early intervention programmes to drive down violence during the summer holidays. Young people need opportunities to build community and succeed. That’s why we’re also investing £1 million into a sports programme to deliver activities for young Londoners in neighbourhoods affected by violence. We’re also supporting the Local Village Network app: it’s free to download and provides young people aged 14-24 with more than 2,500 opportunities and activities to get involved in across London. |
| Tackling violence is my top priority, and I’m determined to do everything I can to ensure we do not see a rise in incidents over the summer months. I will continue to be tough on crime by supporting the police in removing dangerous weapons, tackling drugs and gangs, supporting communities through neighbourhood policing, and bearing down on the complex causes of violence. We cannot neglect our young people and then expect them to thrive. This investment will help make London fairer and safer for everyone. Best wishes, Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan |
Angelina Souren: Independent critical thinker. Intelligent, capable and compassionate. Target of something sinister, sadistic and immensely controlling, for 10+ years. 