Sadiq Khan blasts Philip Hammond's UK Budget 2017 as 'most anti-London' in a generation

Sadiq Khan has blasted Philip Hammond’s budget as “the most anti-London in a generation”.

The Mayor of London accused the Government of “showing contempt for Londoners” through their plans for spending.

The Mayor noted that the Chancellor has failed to mention counter-terrorism and had not offered any funding to the Met Police.

He said: “It is sadly now inevitable that police officer numbers will continue to fall – potentially to as few as 27,500 by 2021 - and we are left with no choice but to scrap London’s strategic target for 32,000 police officers that has been in place since 2012.”

Despite Mr Hammond announcing that Stamp Duty will be scrapped for first-time buyers on properties up to £300,000, Mr Khan slammed a lack of funding for extra affordable housing in London.

He said: “The Chancellor did not announce a penny of extra grant for affordable housing in London – even though we know the current spending is less than a fifth of what we need.

“Everyone knows we need councils to be able to build more, but there was no commitment that any councils in London will be given the powers to do so.”

“This Government is all talk and no action on housing,” he added.

The Chancellor also pledged to build 300,000 more homes UK-wide by 2020 and 100,000 in Oxfordshire by 2031.

Mr Khan further slammed Mr Hammond’s plans to commit £220m to tackling air pollution across Britain.

He branded the pledge “totally inadequate” and “a kick in the teeth for Londoners” after air pollution levels in the capital hit the most severe levels numerous times this year.

He added: “The capital alone requires £515m just for a vehicle scrappage fund.

“It is a kick in the teeth of Londoners who deserve the right to breathe clean air and are encouraged by the Government to buy more polluting vehicles.”