22.11.17
Khan attacks Hammond, describing Budget as ‘most anti-London in a generation’
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has attacked Philip Hammond’s Budget, calling it the “most anti-London Budget in a generation.”
In a furious statement, Khan criticised the chancellor’s failure to announce any new policing measures after a year where the UK was hit by a number of terrorist attacks, including four in London.
The mayor also stated that no new police funding will mean the safety of Londoners is put at risk, as the capital will be more likely to miss its strategic target of 32,000 police officers.
Khan added that the government’s measures to tackle the housing crisis and reduce air pollution did not go far enough.
“This is the most anti-London Budget in a generation, from a government that has shown contempt for Londoners,” he said. “Hammering London in this way will not encourage growth elsewhere in the UK.
“The government refused to back the Metropolitan Police today – and the chancellor didn’t even mention counter-terrorism.
“It is sadly now inevitable that police officer numbers will continue to fall – potentially to as few as 27,500 by 2021 - and we are left with no choice but to scrap London’s strategic target for 32,000 police officers that has been in place since 2012.”
Later, Khan said that the government’s “most astonishing failure” was with housing, adding that the new measures “will not even paper over the cracks.”
“The chancellor did not announce a penny of extra grant for affordable housing in London – even though we know the current spending is less than a fifth of what we need,” he continued.
“Everyone knows we need councils to be able to build more, but there was no commitment that any councils in London will be given the powers to do so. This government is all talk and no action on housing.”
The lack of police funding was also something that was picked up on by mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, who said: “Biggest take-away from Budget has got to be the lack of any mention of police funding. Staggering omission.”
Burnham also slammed the government for not mentioning anything about social care, although he did welcome a number of measures to support Greater Manchester’s drive to tackle homelessness.
Top Image: Yui Mok PA Wire