A London Assembly member has spoken out against the violence and discrimination experienced by the LGBTQ+ community in his area.

Navin Shah, who represents Harrow and Brent, said such incidents would “not be tolerated” and commended the Mayor of London’s policy towards tackling hate crime.

In 2017/18, there were 22 reported incidents of homophobic abuse in Harrow and, while this is relatively low, Mr Shah said all cases must be stamped out.

He said: “It is horrendous to think that people in our community are being subjected to this disgusting abuse.

“In Harrow we pride ourselves on being a diverse community, in which all are welcome.

“We have a fantastic record of fighting hate crime and discrimination in Harrow, and I want to keep it that way.

“My message to those on the receiving end of any abuse is to always seek help and do not suffer in silence.

“I know that local people in Harrow will join me in saying we won’t tolerate any homophobic or transphobic abuse in our borough.”

There were more than 2,200 reported incidents of hate crimes towards LGBTQ+ groups across London in 2017/18, with homophobic attacks up by 2.5 per cent.

On May 17, Mr Shah joined other politicians to recognise International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia where they outlined their approach to dealing with abuse aimed at these communities.

This includes a “zero tolerance policy” and a programme run by the Metropolitan Police which specifically targets online hate crime.