With respect mate...you live in Hong Kong. You have no idea what it's like living in this city today.

You're a Tory and I get that you want it to fit your narrative that a Muslim Labour mayor has led to anarchy on the streets. But London is basically the same today as it was 20/30/40 years ago. Yes, crime in poor neighbourhoods linked to gang's and drugs, but there hasn't been a particular increase in that at all.

I live next to one of the biggest estates in the city, and I've worked with kids from these areas for years. For what it's worth, I agree with you that fatherless families is a major problem, although what you think we can do about it beats me. But I also see how lack of access to facilities impacts kids at an early age and plays a role in leading them down a dark lane, as does cuts to primary intervention, social services and in school support.

The fact as well, that youths can't get on the housing ladder, that jobs are scarce. These are the things parents talk to me about as worrying, not just the allure of gangs. And those things are deeply interconnected to the lax approach we take to high end crime in this city. In fact, I often wonder what role it plays, when you get billionaire Arabs and Russians walking round in balenciagas and LVs just a stone throw away from the kids on the block. Aren't we feeding the aspirations for quick fixes to poverty that feeds gang culture?

Blaming Sadiq is a bit like blaming bats for coronavirus. They are an insignificant pawn in a larger game.

If punk ever happened I'd be preaching the law, instead of listenin to Lydon lecture BBC4

You have no idea, who I am, what I know and how much time I spend in London so your post is an opinion based on no knowledge.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion regardless of how ill informed ( about me ).

My post makes no reference to the ethnicity or religion of the mayor.

Kids are probably going to see more ostentatious wastes of money on branded goods from PL footballers than Arabs and Russians.

London is not basically the same as it was 20/30/40 years ago, how can it be?

My issues with the Mayor are to do with his arrogance and political posturing, his hiring more people to do his PR , his casual handing out of jobs to friends anf awarding untendered contracts. This is not that much different from previous mayors but does not make it right or acceptable.

Under the previous mayor crime did reduce, that's simply the fact.

Now there is a candidate from a BAME background to challenge the incumbent the Labour machine in LOndon is worried they won't automatically get most BAME votes, very similar attitude to Dems/Biden in US.

But this is somewhat off my original point which is the mayor has the ability to help in crime reduction but the current one chooses to do nothing and use the problem as a political tool IMO.

I will not be making any guesses as to your personal circumstances or life experience as you do with me.

Edited by HKOwen (24 Sep 2020 12.44am)

Responsibility Deficit Disorder is a medical condition. Symptoms include inability to be corrected when wrong, false sense of superiority, desire to share personal info no else cares about, general hubris. It's a medical issue rather than pure arrogance.

You don't think could have anything to do with the lockdown?

Red and Blue Army!

Nearly all countries and all major cities across Europe have seen drastic reductions in traffic, travel and commercial activity due to Covid. Hence pollution much lower. There were a couple of months with barely a car on the road. That can hardly be attributed to any great move by Khan.

Red and Blue Army!

The congestion charge is indeed one of the reasons for the vastly improved pollution reduction and that figure was pre-covid.

£15 congestion charge was post Covid

"It feels much better than it ever did, much more sensitive." John Wayne Bobbit