London Mayor Sadiq Khan has been slammed for prioritising ULEZ over tackling the capital’s knife crime problem after a teenager was stabbed to death on her way to school.
Richard Holden, the Roads Minister, on Thursday said that the Mayor should focus more on the city’s crime.
On Thursday, the parents of Elianne Andam, 15, described their daughter as the “light of our lives” before attending an emotional vigil on the street where she died in Croydon, south London.
The teenager, a pupil at the private Old Palace of Whitgift School, was killed on Wednesday as she travelled to school.
Mr Holden told Sky News: “I want to see the mayor fully focused on crime and antisocial behaviour, I think there have been some distractions from the mayor over the last few months.
READ MORE Murdered Croydon girl Elianne Andam must cannot die in vain we must end violence
He added: “Instead of ‘flip flopping around Ulez’, I think what we should be focusing on is things that really affect people in the city.
“The Mayor of London, as essentially the police and crime commissioner for neighbourhood crime in London, should really be focused on that.”
Detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command are continuing to investigate the circumstances that led to Elianne’s death.
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A 17-year-old suspect arrested less than two hours after the attack remains in custody.
A statement on Thursday, released on behalf of her parents Dorcas and Michael Andam, read: “Elianne was the light of our lives. She was bright and funny, with many friends who all adored her.
“She was only 15, and had her whole life ahead of her, with hopes and dreams for the future.
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“All those dreams have now been shattered. Our lives have fallen apart, along with that of our wider family.”
Mr Khan has been urged to repurpose the cameras to tackle crime, after the Metropolitan Police dedicated a team of officers to investigate and identify those responsible for the attacks.
On Thursday, Mr Khan said he had been “quite clear” about the consequences of austerity.
He told 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.”
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