Sadiq Khan has insisted he has “done nothing wrong” in relation to violence and knife crime as London Mayor, despite a crime wave accelerating massively under his leadership.

The Mayor argued that he had published a “strategy” before the crime wave peaked, and that without his council tax hikes the problems would be worse, speaking on LBC radio.

According to the Mayor, the crime wave is a national problem and all of his actions have eased it in the capital. Recent data, however, shows the problem is rising fastest in London.

He said: “I don’t think we’ve done anything wrong in London. Nor do I think the Police and Crime Commissioners across the country have done much wrong.

“I published last year a knife crime strategy because I recognised the increase in violent crime before I became the Mayor.”

The presenter hit back: “You know that that could be construed as quite pathetic. ‘I published a knife crime strategy last year and this year, knife crime has gone through the roof’.”

Khan insisted: “Knife crime has been going up since 2014. I’ve only been Mayor since 2016.” Later, he added: “I think things would be worse if we didn’t invest the new money we’ve invested this year and last year.

“Things would be worse if we didn’t have the strategy in place. Things would be even worse if we weren’t investing in preventative strategies and in police officers.”

Mr. Khan’s comments come as the London Assembly, charged with scrutinising the Mayor, tweeted a story suggesting the crime wave in London is linked to hot weather.

Last month, the latest official statistics revealed that there has been a 22 per cent surge in knife crime and an 11 per cent increase in gun crime, with offences “disproportionately concentrated in London” and other cities.

The statistics put knife crime at its highest level on record, and follow data from January showing a massive 38 per cent surge in knife crime in London, compared to 21 per cent nationwide.

Data on London from January showed rises in knife crime, gun crime, theft, burglary, rape, homicide, and more.

Under Mayor Khan, homicides in London rose by 27.1 per cent. Youth homicide jumped 70 per cent. Serious youth violence was up 19 per cent. Robbery was up 33.4 per cent, and home burglaries rose by 18.7 per cent.