Sadiq Khan on Monday quoted analysis of data from the Met Police, British Transport Police, the NHS and the Ambulance Service, before blaming rising knife crime on social exclusion, poverty and Conservative spending cuts.

Eustace Constance, Operation Director of Christian charity Ascension Trust told Premier he thought Mr Khan was just playing politics.

“I personally think it’s election time and the mayor is doing what all politicians do,” Mr Constance claimed.

“The information and the connection that the mayor has made are not new.”

He added: “It isn’t a revelation that ten to 16-year-olds are more susceptible to criminal activities after school hours. We were saying that over 16 years ago, that is why we started school pastors.

“Or that with 18 to 24-year-olds, violence happens over the weekend. We said that 16 years ago. That’s why we started Street Pastors.

“We’re not unique in that – the stats that he’s quoting now have been available to the mayor, they’ve been available to the Metropolitan Police and others for many years.”

There has been a spate of stabbings in the city this year.

The London mayor called for an end to the “nine year experiment to shrink the state” in a speech at a youth club close to where a person was stabbed less than 24-hours ago.

There have been at least 33 fatal stabbings in London this year,…

Dr David Mackereth claims he was sacked after saying he would not “call any 6ft tall bearded man madam” during an “abstract discussion” with his manager.

The 56-year-old, from Dudley, West Midlands, alleges the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) discriminated against his religious beliefs, costing him his job as a disability claim assessor.

As well as claiming religious discrimination, Dr Mackereth maintains that no effort was made to accommodate his beliefs, such as referring transgender clients at Birmingham’s Five Ways assessment centre to another doctor.

On the third day of the Birmingham tribunal, centre manager James Owen said he had a meeting with Dr Mackereth on June 13 last year and then “respected his wishes not to work”.

In a written statement describing the meeting, Mr Owen said: “I then asked the claimant if he would respect the customer’s wish to be referred to by their chosen sexuality and name and would he convey that in his written report.

“The claimant categorically stated that he would not do that due to his beliefs and he could not put that in a report as his conscience would not allow that.

“The claimant also stated that he understood that his behaviour could be offensive.”

Mr Owen added: “I read the answers back to the claimant and asked him to confirm if I had captured the information correctly. The claimant agreed.

“The claimant clearly…

The Most Rev Justin Welby was giving evidence to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) investigation into the Church of England on Thursday.

He has featured heavily in evidence over the last nine days as the head of the Anglican Church and has faced accusations of failing to sanction bishops accused of committing or failing to report child sexual abuse.

One survivor, Rev Matthew Ineson, previously criticised Mr Welby and the Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu for failing to act after he disclosed being abused as a teenager by a priest.

Mr Ineson told the inquiry: “I cannot see the face of Jesus in the Archbishop of Canterbury or York.

“The Archbishop of Canterbury consistently takes no further action and, to me, therefore, condones all these actions.”

Speaking on Thursday, Mr Welby said that although he was the head of the Church of England, he had no direct power but “influence” over the other bishops.

“It is hard to say where influence moves into power and control, I have the power to suspend,” he said.

Fiona Scolding QC, counsel for the inquiry, asked the archbishop to explain why all but six safeguarding complaints against bishops were dismissed or had no action taken last year.

After he was asked if bishops got an “easy ride”, Mr Welby replied: “My honest answer is I don’t believe so, but I would say that, wouldn’t I.

“I am not likely to…

Thomas Orchard, 32, died in hospital seven days after being arrested and taken to Heavitree Road police station in Exeter, Devon, in October 2012.

During his detention, the church caretaker who had mental health issues was restrained and an emergency response belt (ERB) was placed across his face for five minutes and two seconds to prevent spitting or biting.

In a landmark conviction in 2018, the office of the chief constable of Devon and Cornwall Police pleaded guilty to breaches under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

A judge at Bristol Crown Court ruled he could not be sure that the ERB, a tough webbing belt designed to restrain limbs, was a contributory factor in Mr Orchard’s death.

He fined the force £234,500 and ordered it to pay £20,515 in prosecution costs.

At that time, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said that arrangements were being made for misconduct hearings to be held by Devon and Cornwall Police.

The police watchdog had previously confirmed that a sergeant, two detention officers and three police constables would face a hearing.

On Thursday, a notice on the Devon and Cornwall Police’s website said that the preliminary misconduct hearing relating to “the circumstances surrounding the arrest, detention and subsequent death of Thomas Orchard” was heard in private.

This took place at the force’s headquarters in Exeter between June…