Ken Livingstone has launched his policies on crime and policing in the capital which he hopes will secure him a third term in office.
The Mayor said the central pledge in his manifesto “is to continue to reduce crime in London by 6 per cent a year over the next four years.”
The manifesto also includes promises of action to “continue progress made in crimes against women including rape and domestic violence” and “deal with the issue of murders of young people” by providing “more resources for police intelligence and targeted operations against young people involved in gangs and using weapons and to intervene to divert young people on the fringes away from gangs and violence.”
Mr Livingstone has also committed himself to working with schools to combat racist and homophobic bullying.
Continuing recent efforts to portray himself as the candidate of experience Mr Livingstone said “The number of murders in London has fallen every year for the last five years, from 222 in 2003 to 160 last year. This is a reduction in murder by 28 per cent – even more than the 19 per cent fall in crime in the same period.”
“Rape has fallen by 25 per cent. Gun crime by 22 per cent. Racist crime has been reduced by 55 per cent while I have been in office.”
Today’s policies have been described as “simply more of the same” by Tory rival Boris Johnson who said they would “provide no reassurance for Londoners who demand more action to make our streets safer.”
