Violent crime in London has “stabilised” according to the Metropolitan Police.

Earlier today the London Assembly police and crime committee met with Cressida Dick, the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.

Conservative assembly member Tony Arbour was keen to know if levels of violent crime had changed since the start of the year.

The murder rate in London has now risen above 75 so far this year, prompting widespread outrage from politicians.

Ms Dick informed the committee that knife crime had gone down by 22 per cent from May to June and was 27 per cent lower this June compared to June 2017.

She said: “I think we are seeing a stabilisation of violent crime as whole, even though there has only been a tiny reduction from May to June.”

The number of killings also went down to 13 to 8 from May to June.

Ms Dick continued: “I hope that figure is continuing to come down but of course these are only small numbers and I can’t say we are doing more than stabilising it. As you know we have had a very challenging year.

Mr Arbour then asked what Ms Dick attributed the stabilisation to violent crime to?

She said: “We have fantastic focus and engagement from officers who are determined to stop young people being shot and stabbed.”

“But it is always hard to be definitive, since last year we have been increasing the amount of overt and covert opposition to violent crime and funding from the mayor has allowed us to invest further.”

In February this year the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan announced he would invest an extra £110 million into the Metropolitan Police.

Earlier this year he also announced a £45 million Young Londoners Fund to invest in youth services across the capital to stop young people getting involved with crime.

Ms Dick also assured Londoners that the Metropolitan Police has a very “comprehensive plan” to deal with crime levels of the summer.