Police chiefs will be called to answer what they are doing to tackle the “horrific and unsustainable” level of knife crime in London.

The London Assembly police and crime committee will tomorrow question Stephen House, the deputy commissioner for the Metropolitan Police Service and Sophie Linden, the deputy mayor for policing and crime, on violent crime in the capital.

The meeting will look at policing following the UK’s exit from the EU, keeping children and young people safe, tackling violence against women and girls and police engagement in local communities.

Steve O’Connell, the chairman of the committee, said: “Any loss of life to knife crime in London is senseless and heart-breaking for everyone involves.

“Young Londoners are the future of this great city and we must do out best to protect them from all forms of dangers but especially knife violence.

“Our meeting tomorrow will look for answers from the Deputy Commissioner of the Met Police and the Mayor’s Office for Policing & Crime (MOPAC) on what they’re doing to avoid the massive spike in violence we saw at this time last year.

“Everything must be done to tackle the horrific and unsustainable level of knife crime in London.”

There have been 18 murders in the capital this year, the latest being 17-year-old Jodie Chesney, who was stabbed to death on Friday in Harold Hill, Romford.