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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Mayor's pledge to keep crime down | Mayor's pledge to keep crime down |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Ken Livingstone has said he has the track record to cut London's crime rate as he unveiled his policing manifesto. | Ken Livingstone has said he has the track record to cut London's crime rate as he unveiled his policing manifesto. |
| Pledging to focus on anti-terrorism and youth murders, London's mayor said he had overseen increased police numbers and five years of falling crime. | Pledging to focus on anti-terrorism and youth murders, London's mayor said he had overseen increased police numbers and five years of falling crime. |
| His Tory rival Boris Johnson pledged to make tackling crime his top priority as he outlined plans to help the elderly. | His Tory rival Boris Johnson pledged to make tackling crime his top priority as he outlined plans to help the elderly. |
| Lib Dem candidate Brian Paddick, a former police commander, has said he will cut crime by 20% or stand down. | Lib Dem candidate Brian Paddick, a former police commander, has said he will cut crime by 20% or stand down. |
| Both Mr Paddick and Mr Johnson say violent crime has soared during Mr Livingstone's eight years as London mayor. | Both Mr Paddick and Mr Johnson say violent crime has soared during Mr Livingstone's eight years as London mayor. |
| Launching his policing manifesto, Mr Livingstone said he would concentrate on five key areas: counter-terrorism; youth murders; rape and domestic violence; drugs; and ethnic diversity among officers. | Launching his policing manifesto, Mr Livingstone said he would concentrate on five key areas: counter-terrorism; youth murders; rape and domestic violence; drugs; and ethnic diversity among officers. |
| Teenage murders | Teenage murders |
| He said it had been his decision to finance an extra 6,000 officers and 4,000 Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and said crime had fallen for the past five years - by an average of 5.5% in the last three years. | He said it had been his decision to finance an extra 6,000 officers and 4,000 Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and said crime had fallen for the past five years - by an average of 5.5% in the last three years. |
| He said that record meant he could "entirely realistically" promise to cut crime by at least 6% a year during the next four years. | He said that record meant he could "entirely realistically" promise to cut crime by at least 6% a year during the next four years. |
| Hardcore crimes will not be reduced by gimmicks Ken Livingstone List of mayoral hopefuls | Hardcore crimes will not be reduced by gimmicks Ken Livingstone List of mayoral hopefuls |
| But he said while crime generally was going down, the only area with a "serious increase" was "tragic youth murders". | But he said while crime generally was going down, the only area with a "serious increase" was "tragic youth murders". |
| In 2007, 27 teenagers were murdered in London. So far this year the figure is 11 - including 14-year-old Amro Elbadawi, who was stabbed in West Kilburn on Thursday. | In 2007, 27 teenagers were murdered in London. So far this year the figure is 11 - including 14-year-old Amro Elbadawi, who was stabbed in West Kilburn on Thursday. |
| Mr Livingstone promised more money for police intelligence and operations targeted at gangs, as well as an extra 1,000 officers next year for counter-terrorism and neighbourhood policing. Bus crime would be tackled by 11 local "safer transport teams". | Mr Livingstone promised more money for police intelligence and operations targeted at gangs, as well as an extra 1,000 officers next year for counter-terrorism and neighbourhood policing. Bus crime would be tackled by 11 local "safer transport teams". |
| Elderly 'ignored' | Elderly 'ignored' |
| "Hardcore crimes will not be reduced by gimmicks but by building on the methods that have reduced overall crime in London," he said. | "Hardcore crimes will not be reduced by gimmicks but by building on the methods that have reduced overall crime in London," he said. |
| His Conservative rival Mr Johnson has promised to divert funds from the mayor's "publicity budget" to pay for 440 more PCSOs on the buses. | His Conservative rival Mr Johnson has promised to divert funds from the mayor's "publicity budget" to pay for 440 more PCSOs on the buses. |
| For many older Londoners, a fear of crime prevents them from living their lives fully and freely Boris Johnson | For many older Londoners, a fear of crime prevents them from living their lives fully and freely Boris Johnson |
| Also on Friday he outlined his policies to make London more "age friendly", saying elderly people's concerns had been ignored by the current mayor. | Also on Friday he outlined his policies to make London more "age friendly", saying elderly people's concerns had been ignored by the current mayor. |
| "As mayor I will make it my number one priority to tackle crime and return a feeling of safety to our streets, to ensure that everyone can participate in the life, culture and economy of the greatest city on earth - regardless of their age or the neighbourhood they live in," he said. | "As mayor I will make it my number one priority to tackle crime and return a feeling of safety to our streets, to ensure that everyone can participate in the life, culture and economy of the greatest city on earth - regardless of their age or the neighbourhood they live in," he said. |
| "For many older Londoners, a fear of crime prevents them from living their lives fully and freely." | "For many older Londoners, a fear of crime prevents them from living their lives fully and freely." |
| He added he would protect and extend the Freedom Pass so Londoners aged over 60 could use it for free public transport 24 hours a day. | He added he would protect and extend the Freedom Pass so Londoners aged over 60 could use it for free public transport 24 hours a day. |
| He would also campaign to stop post-office and hospital closures, Mr Johnson added. | He would also campaign to stop post-office and hospital closures, Mr Johnson added. |
| Lib Dem candidate Mr Paddick, a former Metropolitan Police commander, said he had 30 years' experience tackling crime and his top priority would be getting guns and knives off London's streets. | Lib Dem candidate Mr Paddick, a former Metropolitan Police commander, said he had 30 years' experience tackling crime and his top priority would be getting guns and knives off London's streets. |
| He accuses the mayor of breaking a promise to halve crime and says he will step down if he does not manage to cut crime by 20% in his first term as mayor - equivalent to 5% a year. | He accuses the mayor of breaking a promise to halve crime and says he will step down if he does not manage to cut crime by 20% in his first term as mayor - equivalent to 5% a year. |
| Nominations in the mayoral race close on Friday and a full list of candidates is expected later. | Nominations in the mayoral race close on Friday and a full list of candidates is expected later. |