LONDON: Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has said that it is totally unacceptable that people join criminal gangs or carry knifes in streets and urged the government to make more legislation to control street crimes.

He was speaking exclusively to The News on the “London Youth Iftar Dinner” organised by Naz Legacy Foundation. Sadiq Khan said that the fact cannot be denied that the crime rate has gone up not only in London, but also in across the country. He said the reason behind this is cuts on police and youth funding.

“The crime rate during the last few months increased not only in London, but England and Wales and all over UK also,” he said. Sadiq Khan said that for the last three years the crime rate has gone up in England, Wales, Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester, Cardiff and London.

“I am lobbying in the government to invest more in police, services and youth because if you don’t invest in such areas, the violent crimes cannot be stopped,” he said. The London mayor said the government must provide the funds and they have to invest in police and youth because in last seven years, London has lost more than £730 million funds.

“We are going to lose further £350 million in coming days,” he said. Asked whether the violent and knife crime should be dealt as an act of terrorism, Sadiq Khan said the government has passed legislations but loopholes remain. He said internet companies are fuelling the crimes rate. He said that social media was also one of the major causes of increase in crimes, as the gangs use the social media to provoke each other and then they come out in streets holding guns and knives. Sadiq Khan said the government through its immigration policies has created a hostile environment which has created fear among people, especially the people from Commonwealth.