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London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the spike in murders on the capital's streets is "heartbreaking" today, and criticised Tory cuts to police budgets.

It comes after figures revealed more murders were recorded in London than in New York for two months in a row, for the first time ever.

London's overall homicide rate has been roughly the same since the 1990s, and a drastic reduction in New York's murder rate has contributed to the UK capital overtaking the Big Apple.

Mr Khan said: "Of course it concerns me, I think one murder is one too many



"Since 2014 we have seen an increase in violent crime in London and across the country. Since I first became Mayor I have been saying to the Government that it's not sustainable to make the level of cuts they have been making to London.

"Already in the last seven years we have lost £700 million from the policing budget. Over the next three years the Government plans to cut another £300 million. That's a billion pounds worth of cuts.



"So my message to the Government is please work with us to solve this national problem."

(Image: PA)

Mr Khan added: "12 of those who have lost their lives this year have been teenagers.



"As the father of two teenagers daughters I worry as a dad, and that's why we have to make sure we grapple with this problem - but I can't solve it by myself."

Asked if it was fair to blame government cuts, Mr Khan said: "I'm not going to apologise for calling out the consequences of government cuts. You can't escape the fact that since 2014 there has been an increase in crime across the country.

"I became the Mayor of London in May 2016 but the increase in crime has taken place across the country since 2014.

"I am not going to apologise for being the advocate for our city. Not withstanding that, I have used council tax increases but also business rates to try and keep policing numbers at a decent level. But I can't do it with one arm tied behind my back."

Asked about criticism that he had been absent as the killings surged, he said: "I have been around. I've been in London. I've not been on holiday walking the dogs in Wales. I've been here in London talking to police."

Asked if he had spoken to or visited families of the recent killings, the mayor said: "No, I have not spoken to the bereaved families. I have done in the past.

"I regularly speak to bereaved families and I will carry on doing so. I have attended funerals in the past because I think that's an important thing for me to do."

Mr Khan said he had not been contacted by Prime Minister Theresa May, adding: "I contacted her six weeks ago and I said this is a national problem that demands national solutions, so would you please meet with me and the commissioner of the Met Police to see if we can work together.

"She declined my request. I am asking her again today to see if I can meet with her to make the simple point that you have to recognise that there are consequences for these police cuts over the last seven to eight years.

"Roughly speaking 75% of policing budget comes from central government. The hole is so big we can't fill it ourselves."