In recent public discussions, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has been involved in a couple of key debates around social policies in London.

In one incident, Andrew Neil criticized Mayor Khan for misleading comments made against his Conservative opponent regarding their stance on free school meals in London. Khan claimed his rival wanted to eliminate free school meals for all state primary school children. However, it was clarified that the Conservative candidate, Susan Hall, expressed support for continuing free meals for the poorest children while questioning the provision for children of millionaires. Hall reaffirms the importance of evaluating the sustainability of funding such policies, emphasizing that “There is no such thing as a free meal, people have to pay for it.”

Simultaneously, Mayor Khan has addressed the severe rise in rough sleeping in London, which has reached a decade-high with 4,389 documented cases in the final quarter of 2023, marking a 23% increase from the previous year. Over half of these individuals were first-time homeless, which points to a growing problem. Khan plans to significantly increase funding to tackle this issue, promising an additional £10m to help those affected if re-elected. His approach includes providing specialized assessments and support to help these individuals rebuild their lives.

This comes amidst broader criticisms and concerns regarding potential government measures to criminalize rough sleeping, with proposed laws that could allow police to fine or forcibly remove people deemed to be causing a nuisance. These developments reflect the complexities and challenges in addressing social welfare and homelessness in London and the broader UK.