London mayor Sadiq Khan has accused politicians, online bots and foreign state actors of fuelling a distorted picture of the capital, as new research revealed widespread misconceptions about crime, immigration, religion and life in London.
Responding to a study by the Policy Institute at King’s College London, Khan said the capital had become a target for “misinformation and organised disinformation”, amplified by social media algorithms and what he called an “outrage economy”.
Crime was central to the debate. While London’s overall crime rate fell by 1.4 per cent between 2019 and 2025, some offences, including shoplifting, theft from the person, sexual offences and violence, increased.
Yet the study found public perceptions were significantly worse than reality. Respondents estimated that 30 per cent of Londoners had experienced a crime between October 2024 and September 2025. The actual figure was 12.2 per cent.
Half believed London had the highest violent crime rate in England and Wales. In reality, it had the lowest. London also had the joint-lowest rate of sexual offences, despite 37 per cent believing it was the highest.
Religious perceptions were similarly distorted. The median estimate for London’s Muslim population was 35 per cent, more than double the actual 15 per cent. One in three respondents also believed some areas operated under Sharia law and barred non-Muslims.
The political divide was striking. Reform UK supporters estimated that 50 per cent of Londoners were Muslim and 40 per cent had experienced crime — more than three times the real figure. Eighty-seven per cent also wrongly believed overall crime had risen since 2019.
The research also found London’s wider achievements were underestimated. Although the capital topped the 2025 World’s Best Cities index, only six per cent of respondents identified it as the leading city.
Khan said falling crime did not mean the problem had disappeared, but defended investment in policing and prevention.
“I’m proud that we are the greatest city in the world,” he said, promising to defend London against those deliberately fuelling misconceptions “for their own gain”.
