New figures from the Metropolitan Police show a surge in racist and religiously motivated hate crimes.

The total number of reported incidents rose by almost 28 per cent last year, from 9,965 to 12,749.

According to the Evening Standard, police said crimes listed as antisemitic increased by 138 per cent from 208 to 495. The boroughs of Brent and Hackney saw some of the biggest increases.

Police attribute the rise to greater victim confidence in reporting incidents and reaction to world events, such as the Charlie Hebdo shootings in France or the Gaza conflict.