London mayor Sadiq Khan and Tory leader contender Robert Jenrick accuse each other of making ill-judged remarks, reports Noah Vickers, Local Democracy Reporter

Sadiq Khan (left) and Robert Jenrick (right)

A row broke out on Wednesday (23rd) after Tory leadership candidate Robert Jenrick accused mayor Sadiq Khan of poor judgement by “mourning” Chris Kaba’s death and suggested the Met Police have given some Londoners “special status” in applying the law.

But an ally of Khan hit back, saying the Conservative MP’s remarks were “outrageous” and a “tasteless” attempt to turn Kaba’s shooting into “a political football”.

In an interview with TalkTV, Jenrick said: “Sadiq Khan has mourned the death of Chris Kaba. I don’t mourn his death.

“This is a man who has gone on a one man crime spree, shooting […] and committing crimes across London. London is a safer place without him, and Sadiq Khan’s judgement once again has been called into question.

“I want the police to enforce our laws without fear or favour, without focusing on community relations. There’s one community in London – that is Londoners. We should be protecting all people and no one should have protected status or the police shouldn’t be worried about how they behave.”

Unmesh Desai, a Labour member of the London Assembly, said it was “disappointing to see the death of anyone being used as a political football when families are grieving the loss of a loved one, regardless of circumstance”.

He added: “The police do a tough job, enforcing laws without fear or favour and always focus on the safety of Londoners. We can express support for the job that firearms officers do without making tasteless comments about the deceased.

“We must recognise that officers face incredibly difficult situations, often rushing into dangerous scenarios, and they deserve more credit for their service. To suggest that community relations aren’t fundamental to policing is outrageous.”

The Met Police declined to comment.

Jenrick, who is battling for his party’s leadership against former business secretary Kemi Badenoch, appeared in his remarks to be referring to a statement issued by the mayor following the news on Monday evening that police officer Martyn Blake had been cleared of murdering Kaba.

Blake shot Kaba, who was unarmed, during a police vehicle stop in Streatham on 5th September, 2022.

In his statement, Khan said he respected the jury’s decision, but added: “I understand the impact Chris Kaba’s death has had on London’s communities and the anger, pain and fear it has caused. I send my heartfelt sympathies to Chris Kaba’s family, friends and the wider community once again.”

On Tuesday (22nd), it emerged following the lifting of reporting restrictions that Kaba had shot a man in both legs at the Oval Space nightclub in East London, on 30th August, 2022. The man, Brandon Malutshi, was airlifted to hospital and treated for the bullet injuries, but later discharged himself.

It was also made public on Tuesday that Kaba received his first conviction aged 13, another aged 14 and a third for affray and possession of an offensive weapon aged 17, in 2015. Further convictions included possession of an imitation firearm in 2017 and possession of a knife in 2020.

Khan’s team declined to respond directly to Jenrick’s remarks, but a source close to the mayor pointed out that his Monday statement commended “firearms officers who work under the most extraordinary pressure, carrying with them unique responsibilities and often putting themselves in harm’s way to protect others”.

The mayor also said that “when anyone loses their life following contact with the police, it’s important that it is properly and thoroughly investigated, which is what happened in this case”.

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