Camden 'second most crime-ridden' area of London, claims Reform UK candidate

Reform UK's candidate for the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, Pete Newman, has asserted that Camden is the second most crime-ridden area in London. Mr Newman stated that the borough records over 173 crimes per 1,000 residents, which is nearly double the average for London as a whole, as reported by The Standard.

Crime Statistics and Allegations

Mr Newman claims that weapon offences in Camden have risen by 20% over the past year. He also stated that four individuals have been murdered in the borough within the last 12 months. Incidents such as phone snatchings on Euston Road and open drug dealing around King's Cross were cited as examples of the current situation, according to The Standard's report.

The candidate criticised the response from local representatives and the Mayor of London, alleging that police stations have been closed. He noted that Camden currently lacks any 24-hour police front counters. Mr Newman, who served for 31 years in the Metropolitan Police, including as a Senior Detective and counter-terrorism commander, stated his belief that he has a public duty to address these issues.

Police Front Counter Closures

Mr Newman's claims extend to a historical reduction in police front counters across London. He stated that in 2013, the city had 140 police front counters, with 65 closures attributed to Boris Johnson during his tenure as Mayor. The candidate further alleged that three police front counters in the Holborn & St Pancras constituency have closed since 2010: Holborn, Albany Street, and King's Cross Road. Kentish Town is now reportedly the only police station in the area with a front desk, though it is not open 24 hours.

Despite promises made during his election campaign that every London borough would have at least one 24-hour public counter, Mr Newman claims Sadiq Khan oversaw the closure of an additional 38 police front counters in 2017. He stated that only two such counters now remain across the entirety of London.

Pledges for Action

Mr Newman has pledged that if elected, he will call for an urgent meeting with the Mayor of London and the Metropolitan Police Commissioner. His stated aims are to discuss the escalating crime rate in Camden and to demand that the borough receives its fair share of resources, including the 24-hour police front counter that he claims was promised by Sadiq Khan.