Opinion | The War On London: How Lies And Bots Are Targeting The City

Last week, I travelled to Singapore for the World Cities Summit. I was there because, this year, London won the Lee Kuan Yew World Cities Prize for the first time. This is a city equivalent of the Nobel prize. Formally, the international independent committee's decision to award this prestigious prize to London is testament to the astonishing success of our urban development policies over the last decade. For Londoners, though, it confirms a more fundamental truth - a truth that the people pumping out disinformation about our city online would rather you didn't know - today, the great British capital is greater than ever.   

A Bustling Metropolis

Home to almost ten million people, with, in addition to English, more than 300 languages spoken on our streets, London is a modern, multicultural metropolis. This year, Time Out Magazine named it the best city in the world for culture. When you look at what's going on here this summer, that's no surprise. Our stadiums and parks will host some of the biggest names in music, from Bad Bunny and Bruno Mars to Ariana Grande and Harry Styles. On London's streets, visitors will find a dazzling array of food, fashion, and music - all of it influenced by our extraordinary diversity. And in our famous free museums, they'll be able to spend hours looking at some of the world's finest art.  

A city with more than two thousand years of history that has never stopped looking ahead, the British capital offers tourists something truly unique. With an outstanding selection of world-leading universities, it's also a top destination for the best and brightest minds from around the world. Last year, Indian nationals received over 95,000 sponsored visas so they could come and study in the UK. 

Many international students choose to stay and start their careers in London, forming part of a phenomenal talent pool which is powering our economy to new heights. Today, London isn't just home to one of the world's top two financial centres - it also boasts by far the biggest tech sector of any city in Europe. Powered by a vibrant start-up ecosystem, it has pulled in over $12bn in investment since the start of 2026. From law to insurance, London is a global hub for professional services, too. The new UK-India Free Trade Agreement, which comes into force next month, will make it even easier for Indian companies to do business in Britain. This will further strengthen the unique relationship our two nations share, with the 1.9m strong Indian diaspora already living in the UK forming an unbreakable bond between us. 

If you want to change the world, London is where you go to do it. Our city is a natural home for restless dreamers, offering them a rich cultural experience and a quality of life they simply couldn't find anywhere else. In my 10 years as Mayor, we've cleaned up London's air, invested record sums in tackling crime and the causes of crime, and transformed our public transport network with world-class infrastructure. That includes the high-tech Elizabeth rail line, which has made it much easier to travel across our city. We've transformed areas like Stratford and King's Cross, too, turning them from forgotten places into cultural and commercial hubs. The pedestrianisation of world famous Oxford Street this year will take London's transformation one step further, turning Britain's most famous high-street into a beautiful public space for residents and visitors alike.  

A False Narrative

London is on the up. That only makes it more bizarre that so many people on the internet insist on talking our capital city down. Research shows that hostile social media narratives describing London as dangerous or in decline have increased by between 150 and 200 per cent over the past two years. On sites like X, it's now normal to see London portrayed as a 'fallen city' - a dystopian society where crime is out of control and basic decency has all but disappeared. 

The reality, of course, is quite the opposite. London's homicide rate is the lowest in recorded history on a per capita basis - that's lower than Berlin, Brussels, Barcelona, Madrid, Milan, Paris, and Rome. After a concerted crackdown by the police, there were 14,000 fewer mobile phone thefts in London in the last year compared to the year before. Following this year's International Mobile Phone Theft Conference, cities around the world are now learning from our success. 

Of course, there's more to do to make sure that everyone in our city is safe and feels safe - but these stats don't lie. Why, then, are so many people insistent on spreading disinformation about London? The answer to that question, I believe, lies in the values that our city stands for. 

Londoners believe that diversity is a strength to be celebrated, not a weakness to be hidden away. Our research shows that many of the lies you read about London on social media are being driven by hostile actors opposed to our values, including foreign states. They cannot stand our city's success because it shows that - faced with fear and division - hope and unity will always win. And the disinformation they're disseminating is being amplified by coordinated networks of bots using AI to push out as many posts as possible in a desperate attempt to trash our reputation.  

In Singapore, I launched a new campaign to fight back against the falsehoods being shared about London online. But I also wanted to tell you directly what the bots won't: in our diverse, dynamic city, there will always be a place for you. Next time you read something negative about London online, I want you to remember that - and to question why someone might be trying to portray a distorted image of our city. Whether you're a tourist curious about castles, kings, and afternoon teas, a student ready to kick-start your career, or an investor looking to back the next big thing, just remember: London is one of the safest mega-cities on earth, and we're ready to welcome you with open arms. 

(The author is the Mayor of London)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author