London Mayor Sadiq Khan, knighted in 2024 for “political and public service,” has once again shown why he’s unfit to lead our capital. In a January 2025 Mayor’s Question Time, Conservative Assembly Member Susan Hall pressed Khan nine times on whether London has a grooming gang problem akin to the horrors of Rotherham. His response? A shameful dodge, repeatedly asking Hall to define “grooming gangs” as if he’s clueless about the rape and trafficking of young girls by organised predators. This isn’t ignorance—it’s a calculated refusal to confront a scandal that risks alienating his core voter base, particularly British-Pakistani Muslims. Khan’s silence, as TalkTV’s Alex Phillips rightly blasted recently, is a “disgusting disservice” to victims and proof he’s neither suited to be Mayor nor deserving of a knighthood.
Dodging the Truth to Protect Votes
Khan’s performance at City Hall was a masterclass in evasion. When Hall referenced grooming gangs targeting young girls for sexual exploitation, Khan pivoted to “county lines” drug gangs or feigned confusion, demanding Hall clarify her terms. This wasn’t a quest for clarity—it was a trap to push Hall into mentioning ethnicity, letting Khan cry “Islamophobia” and dodge accountability. As Phillips fumed, he’s “trying to pull the race card” to shield himself from scrutiny. Why? Because Khan’s electoral success hinges on areas like Tower Hamlets, where he won 85% of the vote in 2021, bolstered by strong British-Pakistani support. Admitting grooming gangs exist, especially their ethnic profile, could fracture this base. So, Khan stonewalls, leaving victims—mostly vulnerable white working-class girls—in the dust.
The mainstream media, ever eager to tiptoe around “sensitive” issues, barely touched this. Instead, they amplify Khan’s claims of rising Islamophobia, like his 2023 report whining about social media attacks. But protecting his image shouldn’t trump protecting London’s children. As whistleblower Maggie Oliver told GB News, Khan’s “wilful blindness” perpetuates systemic failures, betraying survivors like those in Rochdale, where Pakistani predators like Qari Abdul Rauf still exploit deportation loopholes.
Grooming Gangs: A Distinct Scandal
Leftist outlets love to parrot that “most sexual offences are committed by white people” to downplay the grooming gang crisis. It’s a cheap trick. The UK is 80% white, so of course white individuals account for most sexual crimes overall. But grooming gangs—organised groups systematically raping and trafficking young girls—are a different beast. Baroness Casey’s June 2025 audit confirmed a “disproportionate number” of British-Pakistani men in these crimes in regions like Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire. NPCC data from 2024 shows British-Pakistanis, just 2.5% of the population, make up one in eight grooming gang suspects where ethnicity is recorded. Of course, ethnicity is not always recorded in many of these cases meaning that number could be much higher. In London, GB News reported gang activity in Tower Hamlets and Stratford, yet Khan refuses a city-wide inquiry, with Labour voting down a £4.49 million Tory proposal in February 2025.
This isn’t about race—it’s about patterns. Ignoring them, as Khan does, doesn’t just fail victims; it harms British-Pakistani communities by letting a minority of predators taint the majority. Casey warned that dodging ethnicity data “does a disservice” to both groups, yet Khan hides behind political correctness while girls suffer.
A Mayor Failing London
As Police and Crime Commissioner, Khan is directly responsible for tackling serious crime. Yet, under his watch, sexual violence in London jumped 7.4% in 2024 (ONS data), with knife crime up 3.7% (Met Police). His response to grooming gang questions—deflecting to “1,200 child protection officers” or the Lighthouse service—lacks specificity. Where’s the targeted action? Why no London inquiry, unlike Rotherham’s? Khan’s claim that the Met’s operational independence limits his role is a cop-out. A mayor serious about justice would lead, not hide.
Public trust is crumbling. A July 2025 YouGov poll found 90% of Britons want a national grooming gang inquiry, with 78% demanding ethnicity data. Khan’s refusal to act fuels perceptions he’s more loyal to his voter base than to Londoners. His “proud feminist” posturing at Pride parades feels hollow when he won’t face this scandal head-on.
A Knighthood for What?
Khan’s 2024 knighthood, awarded in the King’s Birthday Honours, is a slap in the face to victims. For “political and public service”? What service? Presiding over a crime surge? Dodging accountability? The honour reeks of establishment back-scratching, rewarding a mayor who prioritises optics over duty. X users have called it “a disgrace,” with @PatriotVoiceUK tweeting, “Sir Sadiq? For failing London’s girls? Shameful.” If Khan’s leadership is what earns knighthoods, the system’s broken.
Time to Go
Sadiq Khan’s silence on grooming gangs isn’t just cowardice—it’s a betrayal of his oath to serve London. His knighthood is an insult to every victim waiting for justice. London needs a mayor who confronts crime, not one who plays political games to cling to power. One such as ex-SAS serviceman, Ant Middleton who is one of the candidates for the next London Mayoralty in 2028. Step up, Sir Sadiq, or step down. And let’s demand a full inquiry into London’s grooming gangs—now.
