London Mayor Sadiq Khan is facing one of the most turbulent weeks of his time in office. A collision of crises — ranging from Marks & Spencer publicly criticising his approach to crime, to a serious security lapse involving his armed protection unit, to ongoing fallout from disorder in Clapham — has kept the mayor under sustained pressure at a moment when he can least afford the headlines.
M&S Accuses Khan of Being Soft on Crime
In a strikingly blunt intervention, Marks & Spencer has turned on the London Mayor, warning that “routine” lawlessness is putting both staff and the public at risk. The retailer’s chief executive pointed to what they described as more brazen, more organised and more aggressive attacks across British high streets, calling on Khan to “prioritise effective policing” and take the issue far more seriously.
The M&S intervention came after figures emerged showing that retail staff in London face around 1,600 attacks every single day — a number that campaigners and retailers alike describe as utterly unacceptable. M&S has been among the most vocal voices in the retail sector urging government and city authorities to act, and the decision to single out the Mayor by name marks a significant escalation in their public campaigning.
Clapham Disorder
The flashpoint for much of this week’s headlines was disorder in Clapham, where mobs of youths caused significant disruption, including an incident in which a Marks & Spencer store was targeted. Khan issued a statement condemning what he described as “appalling scenes” and calling the behaviour absolutely unacceptable — but critics have argued the condemnation rings hollow given the broader context of rising street violence across the capital.
The Clapham incidents fed into a wider debate about policing priorities in London and whether the Metropolitan Police has the resources and direction needed to tackle what many describe as a deteriorating environment on the capital’s streets. Khan has consistently argued that central government funding cuts have hampered the Met’s capacity; his critics counter that leadership and accountability have to start closer to home.
The Armed Security Blunder
Adding to the mayor’s difficulties this week was a serious security lapse involving his own protection team. Armed police guarding Khan were found to have left a bag containing an MP5 carbine, a Glock pistol, a Taser and ammunition on a public street outside his south London home. The holdall was discovered at around 9:30pm and the incident triggered an immediate internal review by the Metropolitan Police.
The embarrassment of an armed protection unit misplacing weapons-filled luggage outside the home of the very official they are tasked with protecting was not lost on political opponents, with several calling for a full explanation of how the incident was allowed to happen.
Peerage Speculation — and Pushback
Amid the operational chaos, reports emerged suggesting that Prime Minister Keir Starmer was considering offering Sadiq Khan a peerage following the London mayoral elections in May. Allies of the Mayor were swift to push back, with Khan’s team insisting that no such conversation had taken place and that he remains focused on his role as Mayor.
London Assembly Members across party lines welcomed the denial, with several expressing concern that speculation about a peerage indicated Downing Street was already preparing for a post-Khan era in City Hall — something that, they argued, risked undermining the mayor’s remaining authority at a critical moment for the capital.
Looking Ahead
Despite the pressure, Khan has continued to make public-facing announcements in the run-up to the Easter weekend. He confirmed a St George’s Day celebration in Trafalgar Square on Sunday 19 April, featuring live music and performances, as well as a Vaisakhi 2026 event at Trafalgar Square on Saturday 18 April celebrating Sikh culture. Both events are free to attend.
For now, however, the Mayor faces a difficult few days of scrutiny — with the M&S intervention, the Clapham fallout, and the armed protection blunder combining to create a narrative his communications team will find hard to redirect before the Easter break is over.