Sadiq Khan’s former policing adviser yesterday defected to the Liberal Democrats, saying his children were ‘not safe’ on London’s streets because of knife crime.

In a shock switch, Leroy Logan, a former police superintendent, said that he was quitting the Labour Party over the London Mayor’s record.

He will now become policing adviser to the Lib Dem mayoral candidate Siobhan Benita, who has unveiled a five-point plan to tackle knife crime.

Mr Logan had been planning to stand as a Labour member of the London Assembly.

In a shock switch, Leroy Logan, a former police superintendent, said that he was quitting the Labour Party over the London Mayor’s record. Pictured: Sadiq Khan

He was an adviser to Mr Khan during his 2016 mayoral campaign and drafted his policing manifesto.

Writing exclusively for The Mail, Mr Logan, who has been made an MBE for his work, 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.’

Yesterday Mrs Benita told a Lib Dem fringe on knife crime: ‘I want to announce that Leroy Logan will now be joining my team as my policing adviser.’

In a shock switch, Leroy Logan (pictured), a former police superintendent, said that he was quitting the Labour Party over the London Mayor’s record

She criticised Mr Khan’s ‘pretty shocking’ reply when asked about knife crime on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show yesterday.

Mrs Benita said: ‘It’s kind of the response that we’ve seen throughout his term in City Hall, which is “Yes, it’s terrible. I’m sort of doing things that I can about it, but my hands are tied, because I didn’t have enough resources from central government”.

‘Sadiq has wasted his mayoral term in not addressing this issue with the urgency it needs.

'While he continues to blame other people, our young children in London continue to be traumatised, petrified and at risk. There is so, so much more we can do.’