Outrage as Sadiq Khan Splurges £500k on Rare Birds While Ignoring TfL Fare Hikes, Crime, and Soaring Rents

Table of Contents

1. Criticism of Spending
2. Project Details
3. Reactions from Officials
4. Concerns About Crime
5. Rental Prices in London

Sadiq Khan has faced criticism for allocating £500,000 of public funds to storks instead of addressing pressing issues.

The Mayor has been labeled as “out of touch” and accused of residing in an “ivory tower.”

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has been criticized for being ‘out of touch’Credit: Reuters White storks, as seen here at the Knepp estate, are being reintroduced to an East London boroughCredit: Jack Hill/The Times, The Sunday

He has allocated £500,000 of public funds to a rewilding initiative in Dagenham, East London, one of the capital’s most disadvantaged boroughs.

As part of this initiative, a flock of white storks has been introduced to the area.

This funding is part of a £3.84 million budget from Sir Sadiq’s Green Roots Fund, aimed at enhancing access to nature across London.

Sir Sadiq has claimed that the project is a benefit for everyday Londoners.

He stated: “Access to nature is a matter of social justice, and it should not only be those living in rural areas who get to share their environment with our wonderful wildlife.”

“We are proud to support some amazing projects through my Green Roots Fund, including the historic reintroduction of white storks and beavers to East London.”

The Sun Online has reached out to Sir Sadiq for further comments.

However, the leader of the London Conservatives, Susan Hall, condemned the initiative, telling The Sun: “This is absurd, and it highlights the problem of spending public money.”

“If you’re a mother struggling financially, and something truly important needs to be addressed in London, this is not it.”

“This spending is on non-essential items. I would prioritize what is genuinely needed.”

“In London’s case, we need to allocate more resources to policing. With the various demonstrations occurring today, the costs to London are astronomical, especially with large-scale protests.”

“We require increased funding for the police. While having beautiful storks and beavers is nice, we simply cannot afford it.”

Ms. Hall continued: “In my opinion, this is where they misunderstand the situation. They label it austerity and other terms, but for Londoners, it’s about living within our means and spending wisely. Since it’s not his money, he cannot just distribute it; it’s hard-earned taxpayer money.”

“This is all about public relations, you know, if it makes him look good.”

“I find it incredibly frustrating. I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel safe walking around.”

“I don’t care what the Commissioner said yesterday; I don’t feel secure. True, I have received death threats, but that’s part of being a politician. However, many people feel unsafe. We need more funds allocated to policing.”

“Not rare wildlife that could easily be caught by the public. People no longer seem to respect wildlife as they once did.”

“Every time I go to the supermarket, I feel anxious. But my point is that there are pressing issues to address. Fares are increasing again; travel is costly, and our roads are in disrepair.”

“This all contributes to the rising cost of simply living in this city. And he boasts about spending half a million pounds on storks, which feels like a slap in the face to young people who can’t afford to live here, struggle with fares, rent, and food costs.”

“There are mothers trying to scrape together money to feed their children, and they don’t feel safe.”

She added: “And he’s spending on storks; honestly, this is just not a priority right now.”

“If you heard some of the survivors of these violent crimes, and if the public knew their stories, they would be moved to tears because the situation is dire. That is a real issue that needs addressing.”

“He’s a complete disgrace. He truly is. He resides in his ivory tower, escorted by four armed officers.”

“I believe he is losing touch with reality, at least the kind of reality that you and I experience. He is completely disconnected from ordinary people.”

This initiative follows the Mayor’s announcement that fares on the Underground, the Overground, and the Elizabeth Line will all increase by 5.8 percent in the new year.

This rise is 1% above the inflation rate and will take effect in March.

Concerns about crime remain significant, with the latest figures for September 2025 indicating an overall crime rate in London of 81 crimes per 1,000 residents. The most commonly reported crimes are violence and sexual offenses, with reports coming from roughly every 23 out of 1,000 in the daytime population, according to Crime Rate .

Average rental prices in London have decreased over the past 12 months but remain high.

The average private rent in the UK was