Politics

The Labour Mayor of London has accused the Conservatives of using the stabbing of a teenager in Croydon as a “political football”, telling Sky News: “I’m not willing to play.”

Elianne Andam, who was just 15, died during Wednesday’s rush hour after being attacked on her way to school , leading to an outpouring of grief from the local community.

A 17-year-old boy remains in police custody over the incident.

Politics live: PM pushed for ‘yes or no’ answer on HS2

Speaking on Sky News this morning, transport minister Richard Holden described the stabbing as “absolutely outrageous” and called for “a real change” in society over its approach to young people carrying knives.

But, after defending the government’s own record on tackling knife crime, he accused Mr Khan of failing to “focus” on the issue.

Mr Holden said there had been “some distractions” in recent months, namely the mayor’s “flip-flopping” over the expansion over the Ultra Low Emission Zone – an issue blamed by many in Labour for their loss in the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election and touted as the inspiration for Rishi Sunak’s watering down of net zero policies .

He said: “I think what we should be focusing on is things which really affect people in the city and the Mayor of London is essentially the Police and Crime Commissioner for neighbourhood crime in London, he should really be focused on that.

“I think if it was me, one of my main, sole focuses at the moment would be very much on crime. We’ve seen some real issues in London, particularly with violent crime, particularly amongst young people. I don’t want to see that getting out of control. I want to see those numbers coming down.

“And I think if I was the mayor, that would be my sole focus at the moment, on what we can do to reduce crime in our city.”

Mr Holden also raised the issue of sexual violence in London, before adding: “I think the new police commissioner is doing a good job at trying to turn that around.

“But I think what it requires is political support in order to do that and political focus. And I think if I was the mayor, that’s what I would be focused on.”

Speaking later on Friday after visiting Croydon, Mr Khan rejected the remarks, telling Sky News: “If the Conservatives want to use the murder of a 15-year-old girl as a political football, that’s up to them. I’m not willing to play ball.”

However, the mayor appealed for more support from government, warning about the “consequences of austerity”, and saying City Hall was trying to provide policing and youth services “with one hand tied behind our back”.

Asked if he blamed Westminster cuts for the increase in knife crime, Mr Khan said: “The responsibility for knife crime lies with the person doing the knife crime.

“But without excusing criminality, the causes are quite complex. They are to do with deprivation, alienation, a lack of opportunity, inequalities and so forth.

“So, yes, of course, we would have bear down on enforcement. More police officers are needed, more communities to officers are needed.

“At the same time, we’ve got to give young people constructive things to do, particularly when we know knife crime is high – in evenings, at weekends and during the holidays – so they can flourish and thrive and have that potential fulfilled, rather than joining criminal gangs, getting involved in county lines and all the other things we know can happen when young people aren’t supported.”

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Whether they should or shouldn’t be influential in politics, celebrities often find themselves at the forefront of important conversations, especially in election years. The biggest and most popular stars are often applauded for leveraging their platforms to influence public opinion and drive change.

Taylor Swift stayed out of politics for a long time, but her tune has changed. Now, following a move by the superstar to get out the vote, one of the most prominent Democrats in the country is praising the singer for her efforts.

California governor Gavin Newsom headed to Simi Valley earlier this week to appear via media at the Republican’s latest debate. While speaking with TMZ , the Democratic politician and likely one-day presidential candidate lauded Swift’s influence, stating that it could play a significant role in the upcoming 2024 presidential election.

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“Taylor Swift stands tall and unique,” remarked Governor Newsom in an interview with the celebrity-focused outlet. “What she was able to accomplish in getting young people activated to consider that they have a voice and they should have a voice in the next election, I think it’s profoundly powerful.”

Newsom went on to further praise the “Anti-Hero” chart-topper, adding, “I think she’s using her celebrity for good.”

Newsom is referring to Swift’s recent push to get her millions of Instagram followers to sign up to vote. On National Voter Registration Day, the Grammy winner took to her social media account to urge her fans, affectionately known as Swifities, to register to take part in the upcoming election. To do so, she shared a link to Vote.org, a non-profit voting registration platform and organization she has partnered with in the past.

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“I’ve been so lucky to see so many of you guys at my U.S. shows recently,” Swift’s statement read. “I’ve heard you raise your voices, and I know how powerful they are. Make sure you’re ready to use them in our elections this year!” It was a simple message, but one that resulted in a massive spike in visits to the website. The Wrap reports that the organization saw a more than 1,200% jump in traffic following her post.

During the short chat with TMZ, Newsom also noted that not everyone shares this sentiment of Swift’s move to get young people to take part in the democratic process. “Republicans are critical of her encouraging people to register to vote,” he stated, adding, “which says everything you need to know about the voter suppression going on in the Republican party.”

Swift’s engagement in the political space is not a recent development. In recent years, she has become increasingly vocal about her political beliefs, endorsing candidates and advocating for issues that matter to her. For the first decade or so of her career, she steered clear of such topics, but eventually she felt the need to speak up, and since then has supported a handful of Democrat candidates.

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