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Tory London mayor candidate Shaun Bailey says Sadiq Khan has taken 'no real action' to protect Jews

He says Boris Johnson has told him to focus on 'crime, crime, crime' to win in May

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Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has failed to "take real action" to protect the capital's Jewish community, Tory challenger Shaun Bailey has claimed.

Mr Bailey said Mr Khan had been "right" to reach out to the community with regular appearances at events such the Chunukah in the Square celebration.

But he said that in terms of decisive action - including getting more police on the streets, banning the annual Al Quds Day parade, and speaking out against the Israel boycott movement - Mr Khan had failed.

"Of course the Mayor has done the right thing in terms of reaching out to the Jewish community, but when push comes to shove he hasn't taken any real action," said Mr Bailey.

"He's been able to criticise the Labour Party over antisemitism, but when he has actually criticised Jeremy Corbyn himself? He can't do that because he backed him as leader - he's Jeremy's man."

Speaking to the JC, Mr Bailey promised he would make it is duty to ban the annual Al Quds Day march from taking part each year in central London.

He labelled the demo, which is organised by the Islamic Human Rights Commission, "terrifying" and said it "scares a significant part of London".

Mr Bailey said he would start a "different conversation" after Mr Khan said that only the Home Secretary has the power to ban the march from taking place.

Mr Bailey also accused Mr Khan of "creating a space" for the campaigns such as the Boycott, Sanctions and Divestment (BDS) movement to flourish in the capital with his failure to "challenge" these arguments.

The mayoral candidate met Jewish leaders at the kosher cafe Mr Baker in Hendon on Monday after visiting the offices of the Community Security Trust (CST).

He was joined at the cafe by Board of Deputies vice president Edwin Shuker and Claudia Mendoza and Russell Langer and Adam Langleben, from the Jewish Leadership Council, which facilitated Mr Bailey’s visit to Hendon as part of their engagement for the Mayoral elections.

Mr Bailey has made his claim that he could ensure there were more police on London streets a central part of his bid to topple Mr Khan in the election in May.

He said he was in regular contact with Prime Minister - and former London mayor - Boris Johnson over his strategy in the campaign, with the protection of all of London's diverse communities at the heart of it.

Mr Bailey said the PM had told him to focus on "crime, crime, crime," saying he has told him: "Get the crime situation sorted out - it is possible."

Mr Bailey also said he would look into extending the 210 bus route so that it connected Golders Green with Stamford Hill.

The issue of the bus route, which currently stops at Finsbury Park forcing people to take alternative transport to reach Stamford Hill, has been a live one for past London mayors.

Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone both promised to Jewish campaigners to extend the route when campaigning to be mayor.

But Transport for London has repeatedly turned down the proposal which would link the capital's two Jewish communities.

"It is routes like the 210 which have a point, that should be extended," said Mr Bailey. "I would promise to look into this if I'm made mayor."

Asked why he should be trusted to honour his promises when others before him had not been able to act once made mayor, Mr Bailey said: "Because unlike Sadiq Khan I am not looking to become leader of my party.

"I don't want to become Prime Minister. My whole reason for getting into politics is to provide an alternative to a slick career politician who spends all his time virtue signalling."

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