News from Gareth Bacon MP (past staff): Mayor ditches police numbers target weeks after raising council tax

Responding to the Mayor’s decision to cut £38million from the Met’s recruitment budget, London Assembly member Gareth Bacon said:

“Even for a Mayor who has rowed back on almost all of his major pre-election pledges, this is an astonishing development.

“Just three weeks ago Sadiq Khan announced he was raising council tax in order to maintain a target of 32,000 police officers in London.

“Today he’s confirmed he is removing £38million from the Met’s police officer staffing budget, meaning it cannot afford to recruit any more than the current level of 31,000 officers.

“Does Sadiq Khan think he can just promise whatever seems popular at the time without having to deliver it? This kind of smoke and mirrors politics seriously undermines the office of the Mayor and could badly damage public confidence in London’s elected officials.”