London mayoral hopeful Tarun Ghulati vows to tackle crime and make London safer

Tarun Ghulati, London's Indian-origin Mayoral candidate, emphasizes crime fighting as a priority after a tragic sword attack. He aims to strengthen policing, ensure street safety, and reduce crime in the city. Ghulati believes London needs a dedicated leader who will prioritize the well-being of its residents. He criticizes both Labour and Conservative policies, advocating for scrapping unpopular measures and balancing environmental concerns with public opinion. As an Independent candidate, Ghulati presents himself as a solution to the perceived failures of traditional political parties.

Tarun Ghulati, London's Indian-origin candidate for Mayor in the local elections on Thursday, has said the brutal sword attack on the streets of the city in which a 14-year-old boy lost his life, has strengthened his resolve that the British capital needs a crime fighter to lead it.

On the eve of the election, the Delhi-born businessman challenging Sadiq Khan from winning a record third term in office said that Londoners have been failed by the main political parties and need a new dedicated professional to fight their corner in all areas.

The election comes two days after a 36-year-old man — now in police custody — went on a stabbing rampage in the Hainault area of east London on Tuesday morning, killing one and injuring four others including two police officers.

"The brutal attack on the streets of my beloved city, in which an innocent little boy lost his life, has only strengthened my resolve that what London needs is a dedicated crime-fighting Mayor. I am in the race to offer my fellow Londoners that choice tomorrow," said Ghulati.

Safety on the streets of the city is among his major electoral priorities, with visible community policing and more officers patrolling on the beat on the agenda. "It is about having enough bobbies on the beat, having the resources for police officers to do their jobs; which means making the streets safe for women to walk at night, with muggers and burglars being caught and punished," he said.

The 63-year-old is standing as an Independent candidate among 13 contestants in the fray for the local elections on Thursday, when Londoners will vote for their Mayor and also for members of the London Assembly.

"I view London as a unique global city, akin to the 'global bank of the world' where diverse cultures converge to flourish," Ghulati said in his election speech.

"As Mayor, I will build London's balance sheet such that it is the premier choice for investment, safeguarding safety and prosperity for all its residents. I will transform and run London effectively and efficiently like a seasoned CEO. London will be a profitable corporate where profitability means the well-being of all. You will all be part of the journey. Let's do it for our London, our home," he said.

Scrapping some of the Labour Party incumbent Sadiq Khan's unpopular policies, such as the high costs associated with Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) charges and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) across the city, also make up Ghulati's key policy planks.

"We did not want ULEZ, LTNs or 20mph speed limits and many other poor policies … Climate change is happening and we need to mitigate its effects but that cannot be done by making everyone live 15 minutes from home or to penalise commuters in areas with little public transport.

"What changes we need to make must be paced with public opinion, not imposed in an arbitrary way on wallets coping with the cost of living," said Ghulati, who has called London his home for 20 years.

He is equally scathing about the Conservative Party candidate for Mayor, Susan Hall, who he claims failed to block the Mayor's controversial policies despite being an Assembly member for London for many years.

"I would not be a candidate for Mayor if the political candidates were doing what they should be doing. They have let us down. This is all about London and Londoners," he declared.

The winning mayoral candidate will be responsible for all local issues affecting Londoners, from transport and policing to housing and the environment.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)