Home secretary James Cleverly accuses Sadiq Khan of grandstanding and talking more about the fighting in Gaza than ‘black kids getting murdered in south east London’ ahead of mayoral election next week [Video]

By James Tapsfield, Political Editor For Mailonline and David Wilcock, Deputy Political Editor 12:01 EDT 25 Apr 2024, updated 12:50 EDT 25 Apr 2024

James Cleverly today launched a scathing attack on Sadiq Khan, accusing the London mayor of being more interested in pontificating about the fighting in Gaza than black people being murdered in the capital.

The Home Secretary launched a broadside ahead of the mayoral election in a week’s time, accusing the Labour incumbent of being ‘asleep at the wheel’ on crime and other issues.

And he questioned why the mayor felt the need to weigh in on issues he suggested were outside his brief, like the fighting in the Middle East.

Mr Khan has been outspoken on the fighting in Gaza, defying Sir Keir Starmer late last year to back calls for a permanent ceasefire. 

Mr Cleverly told a Westminster media event this afternoon that crime was ‘coming down across the UK, except London’, while police numbers …