Shaun Bailey launches manifesto with promise to reduce crime UK News

Shaun Bailey launched his campaign manifesto this morning by pledging to reduce crime in London “in 100 days”.

Speaking at his launch event, the Tory candidate said the first 100 days of a mayoral term will ‘dictate what London looks like for the next thousand days’ and that he wanted to avert a ‘crime epidemic’ while the lockdown restrictions would be lifted.

Mr Bailey had previously pledged to send 8,000 more Metropolitan Police officers to the streets of London, and today said the recruiting process would begin “on day one” if elected on May 6.

He said: “As we come out of lockdown, if we don’t move in a new direction, we run the risk of replacing a health pandemic with a crime epidemic. In my first 100 days the focus will be on the health and safety of Londoners – safety on the streets.

“I want to be very clear what those days are like. In my manifesto, I pledge to (put) 8,000 additional police officers on the streets of London. This recruiting process will begin on day one, the minute I arrive.

“I also spoke about the reopening of the 38 police stations closed to the public by Sadiq Khan. I will therefore begin and complete the consultation necessary to reopen these police stations. ”

Read more: Shaun Bailey reveals housing plans for London

Mr Bailey went on to say he would start ‘Operation BLUNT 3’ which would see Met officers ‘using tactics that have already been used in London and have proven effective’ to tackle knife crime.

As part of Operation BLUNT 2, which began during Boris Johnson’s first term as Mayor of London, Met officers were given greater stop and search powers, although a report from the Interior Ministry concluded that it had “no discernible crime reduction effect”.

The 8,000 additional Metropolitan Police officers promised by Mr. Bailey would be funded by “town hall savings” as well as Home Office funding, according to the manifesto.

In addition to his plans to reduce crime, Mr Bailey’s manifesto also includes commitments on housing, including the creation of a town hall-owned property developer, and on transport, with sponsorship projects from company to raise funds for TfL.

There are also plans to tackle the climate emergency and improve air quality in London, including a zero-interest loan scheme for taxi drivers who want to switch to electric vehicles, as well as a commitment to have a zero-emission bus fleet by 2025.