Londoners are feeling the pinch as crime rates surge and the Tube grinds to a halt.
Over the past decade, crime in the capital has jumped by 31.5 per cent, and residents recently endured a full week of disruption due to strike action on the Underground.
Despite these pressing issues, the city’s Labour Mayor, Sadiq Khan, has announced plans to spend £66 million over the next three years on cultural and diversity-focused projects.
Cultural Spending Takes Centre Stage
The funding will support initiatives such as Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month, “Black On The Square” events in Trafalgar Square, and a range of LGBT activities, all bundled with Black History Month celebrations.
By contrast, City Hall and the Home Office have only allocated £32 million extra to the Metropolitan Police to increase frontline officers and tackle serious crimes, including violent offences and sexual crimes.
Meanwhile, some police station counters continue to close, raising concerns about priorities.
Mayor Khan’s Salary Raises Eyebrows
Critics have questioned Khan’s decisions, especially after he awarded himself a £5,281 pay rise last week, bringing his salary to £170,282 — making him the highest-paid politician in the UK.
Labour Leadership Scramble
The Labour deputy leadership race is causing headaches for the party.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson and former Commons leader Lucy Powell are both vying for the role, but Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite — the union that has contributed millions to Labour — refused to endorse either candidate.
“Britain needs change, not more of the same,” Graham tweeted, warning that workers are leaving the party in droves and that minor adjustments won’t stop the exodus.
Controversial Policies Under Fire
SNP leader John Swinney slammed Labour’s plans for mandatory digital ID, recalling Scotland’s £7 million Covid “vaccine passport” app, which had serious privacy concerns unresolved at launch.
Meanwhile, Lucy Powell faced rebuke from her own mother after describing herself as “more alpha male” than most men.
Her mother urged her to drop the phrase, saying, “You’re much nicer than that.”
Skepticism Over Digital ID
Reform MP Lee Anderson questioned Starmer’s new enthusiasm for digital ID, pointing out the stark contrast with his previous opposition to voter photo ID.
Anderson warned that the policy seemed “very sinister” and urged caution.
Housing Secretary Stumbles on Numbers
Housing Secretary Steve Reed also faced criticism after a difficult interview on GB News.
When asked how many homes have been built since Labour came to power, he admitted, “I know it’s really low… I know it’s up 29 per cent but I don’t know the actual figure.”
The reality: only 115,000 homes have been built, far below the Conservative record of over a million in their last five-year term.
At this pace, Labour’s pledge to construct 1.5 million homes would take 13 years to fulfill.