Jodie Chesney’s stepmum criticizes Sadiq Khan’s knighthood amid rising knife crime
London: The stepmum of Jodie Chesney, a schoolgirl tragically murdered, is speaking out. She feels that Labour’s decision to knight Sadiq Khan is a slap in the face to knife crime victims.
Jodie was just 17 when she was killed in a park back in March 2019. It was a case of mistaken identity, and her stepmum, Joanne, is understandably upset.
Joanne, 42, believes that giving Khan a knighthood is ridiculous, especially with knife crime on the rise in the city. She feels it sends the wrong message to families affected by violence.
She said, “It’s a joke. It’s a betrayal of victims like me.” Joanne wants Khan to turn down the honor until he addresses the knife crime issue seriously.
Just months before Jodie’s death, she had proudly posed outside No10 Downing Street. Now, her stepmum feels Khan is ignoring the problem and hasn’t even met with her.
Joanne is frustrated, saying it seems like Khan is trying to brush the issue under the rug. She points out that the violence is getting worse, with younger victims every time.
Knife crime in London has shot up from over 9,000 incidents in 2016 to nearly 16,000 recently. It’s a worrying trend that has many people concerned.
Joanne asks, “How many more stabbings do we need before he pays attention?” A spokesperson for Khan claims that while there’s been some progress, violent crime is still too high.
They insist that keeping Londoners safe is Khan’s top priority. Meanwhile, the two men convicted of Jodie’s murder are serving life sentences.
Joanne’s heartbreak is palpable, and she just wants to see real action taken to prevent more tragedies like Jodie’s.
