MP slams Khan as lights stolen from wife’s Porsche in ‘warzone London’ | UK | News
Sadiq Khan has been criticized by an independent MP who branded London a “war zone” and shared a photo of his wife’s Porsche after its headlights were stolen. Before the dispute with leader Nigel Farage earlier this year, Rupert Lowe, a former member of Reform UK, shared a photo of what appeared to be a Porsche Cayenne Turbo on social media. The vehicle generally retails for around £170,000, depending on the model.
He commented: “This morning my wife’s car had its headlights stolen in Sadiq Khan’s war zone in London. I want our capital back.” The post, shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday morning, quickly went viral, racking up more than 75,000 likes and thousands of reshares within hours. It showed the sleek black SUV parked on a residential street; Its distinctive matrix LED headlights were conspicuously missing, leaving large holes in the front grille.
Such high-end components are prime targets for thieves, who command thousands on the black market due to their advanced technology and Porsche’s premium pricing.
Mr Lowe, MP for Great Yarmouth and a vocal critic of the capital’s management, has long used his platform to rail against what he sees as London’s decline under Mr Khan’s eight-year tenure.
Just a day ago, he posted, “Sadiq Khan destroyed London. Good luck, New York,” a reference to the mayor’s international profile amid local troubles and the newly elected Mayor of the Big Apple, Zohran Mamdani.
In September he said: “How do I know Khan is a terrible mayor? I went to London.” He emphasized that his recurring theme about the city is a cautionary tale of mismanagement.
Their criticisms extend beyond rhetoric to accusations of crime and public safety. In August, Mr Lowe described London as “not a magical city but a crime-ridden dump” and rejected optimistic portrayals from Labor figures.
Mr Lowe has repeatedly linked rising disorder to immigration and called for mass deportations to “reinvigorate Britain”.
He also criticized Mr Khan’s handling of transport chaos, condemning the subway attacks as saying the capital was “held to ransom and cost the economy hundreds of millions”.
Mr. Khan’s record on crime has come under harsh scrutiny from opponents such as Mr. Lowe, who have portrayed the mayor as soft on lawlessness. While council data shows knife crime fell 19% in the three months to June 2025 compared to the previous year – the lowest quarterly figure since records began – and murders are at their lowest level in more than a decade, critics are highlighting longer-term trends.
Knife crime rose from 9,752 in Boris Johnson’s last year as mayor (2015/16) to 12,077 in Mr Khan’s first year (2016/17), with overall violent crime rising by around 1% year-on-year by late 2025.
Detractors accused Mr Khan of “gaslighting” residents with selective statistics, citing dismal resolution rates (only one in 20 robberies have been cleared), fewer criminals being jailed and more than 1,000 officers dismissed from the Metropolitan Police since 2016.
In September, Mr Khan hit back at politicians’ “misinformation” and insisted injuries from violent crime had fallen by around 12% on an annual basis.
Mr Lowe’s outburst appears to touch on a wider narrative among right-wing voices who have described London as an “impenetrable hell” despite evidence of stability.
Reactions on social media were mixed; supporters echoed his anger, with one user saying: “London under Khan: Where not even Porsches are safe.” Detractors mocked the irony of the theft of luxury cars in a “war zone”, noting: “Does he realize they were stolen by or for someone else with a Porsche?”
The incident highlights rising vehicle crime in the capital, with luxury items such as Porsche headlights worth up to £5,000 per pair due to online demand. Police data shows car-related thefts are set to rise by 15% in 2025, raising fears among wealthy residents.
Express.co.uk has contacted Mr Khan through the Mayor of London’s Office for comment.
