Rising violence in London sparks spat

Political row between parties could affect 2020 election of new mayor

LONDON - The worsening sense of safety and security in the the British capital has prompted senior members of the two major political parties - the ruling Conservatives and opposition Labour - to blame each other for the rising violence.

Shaun Bailey, a Conservative who served as the British prime minister's special adviser on youth and crime from 2010-13, said that London Mayor Sadiq Khan, a parliament member from the Labour Party, had "lost control of the streets" and wasted money on a "bloated" bureaucracy.