When the Mayor of London, who also serves as the city’s elected Police and Crime Commissioner, claimed there was “no indication” of grooming gangs in London, it was more than just a political misstep.
It was a statement that cut deep into the confidence of victims who have spent years feeling unseen, unheard, and unbelieved.
Those words have since been contradicted by the Metropolitan Police and victims’ advocates, leaving the Mayor exposed and the public confused. Yet this does not need to be the end of his credibility — it could be a defining moment to demonstrate moral courage and leadership.
From one PCC to another, here are my recommendations to London’s PCC.
Admit the mistake and rebuild trust
Every public leader makes errors in judgment. What separates true leadership from damage control is the willingness to admit them. By publicly acknowledging that his earlier statements were wrong in light of new evidence, the mayor can start to restore public faith in his office.
Demand full and comprehensive data
As PCC, the mayor has the statutory duty to be the voice of the public within policing, holding the police to account and ensuring an effective policing of the city. It is his job to get answers and fix problems.
The mayor cannot scrutinise the Met Commissioner, make decisions, and set a course for improvement without the right set of data. He should follow this by committing to fully publishing the verified data on group-based child sexual exploitation in the capital.
Transparency is the first act of accountability.
Pretending that something is not happening does not make it so. Londoners deserve honesty – even when the truth is uncomfortable.
Victims come first
If I were in the mayor’s position, I would personally meet with as many survivor groups and advocacy organisations as would meet with me to hear first-hand their experiences and recommendations.
These voices are not an inconvenience — they are the conscience of the system.The mayor has shown keen interest in other areas of concern regarding the Metropolitan Police before, why not this – the biggest institutional and national failure of vulnerable children in a generation?
Use platform for change
The Mayor of London is one of the most influential figures in British public life. He must now use that influence to press for a fully independent Judge-led public inquiry into this national disgrace.
He should also call for those who failed in their duty of care to the victims while in public office to be prosecuted.
This moment demands leadership, not defensiveness. London’s children and communities need a Mayor who is not afraid to say, “We got it wrong, and here’s how we’ll fix it.”
Anything less would be an abdication of responsibility – and a betrayal of those who depend on the system most.
This moment could yet become a turning point for London – if only the mayor stops defending the indefensible and starts defending the vulnerable.