Conservative MP Sir James Cleverly has said he is resigning from the shadow cabinet to run for London mayor.
“I am putting myself forward to be the Conservative candidate for mayor of London, because our capital needs more than an administrator,” he wrote in the Times, external.
Sir James said he has told Tory leader Kemi Badenoch he is stepping down as shadow housing secretary, saying: “I must be free to speak about every aspect of London’s future and concentrate fully on winning this race.”
The capital is not set to vote on a new mayor until May 2028. Labour incumbent Sir Sadiq Khan is yet to confirm whether he will seek an unprecedented fourth term.
The Conservatives are yet to pick their candidate for the London mayoral race.
A source close to Badenoch said Cleverly “is a formidable politician and will out-campaign Khan”.
Sir James, who was foreign secretary under former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, wrote that he intended to make London a city to be proud of again.
“We must rebuild its reputation and make it, once again, the best place in the world to live, work, invest and build a business,” he added.
A senior Conservative politician, Sir James has held a number of ministerial positions under three prime ministers – including roles as home secretary and education secretary.
The army reservist represented the Tories on the London Assembly before his election as MP for Braintree in 2015.
After rising through the backbenches, he unsuccessfully ran for Conservative party leader in 2024, losing out to Badenoch.
Reacting to Sir James’s announcement, a source said Badenoch “really didn’t want James to leave shadow cabinet”, but believed “he will be a big asset in London”.
Current London Mayor Sir Sadiq began his first term in 2016. Cleverly wrote that the capital has been “let down by Labour”.
He accused Prime Minister Andy Burnham of treating London as a “cash cow: somewhere to tax, regulate, raid and blame”.
Sir James said: “Londoners need homes they can afford to buy or rent. Entrepreneurs need to be able to start and grow businesses without being strangled by cost and regulation.”
The last time Londoners voted for their mayor in May 2024, Sir Sadiq beat Conservative rival Susan Hall by more than 275,000 votes – representing a swing of 3.2% to Labour.
The mayor won nine of the 14 constituencies including two gains from the Tories, and gained 43.8% of the vote share.
Reform UK revealed its candidate for the May 2028 election in January when it announced Westminster City councillor Laila Cunningham would be standing.
Reacting on social media, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage wrote the Conservatives are “done for”, and said Cleverly “will not be the first Tory MP to give up any hope of winning their seat in Essex”.
Cleverly has not resigned as an MP yet.
His announcement follows speculation in recent weeks that he would step down and launch a bid to become London’s next mayor.
During his time at the London Assembly, Cleverly chaired the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, and also worked for Boris Johnson while he was mayor of London.
