Speculation mounted that James Cleverly was preparing to throw his hat into the ring for the Conservatives’ next annual leadership election after he gave a speech in which he spoke out against “fantasy” populist politics, in contrast to Robert Jenrick’s Farage-lite approach.
But Cleverly, back in the shadow cabinet as Angela Raynor’s shadow, is said to have another ambition in mind – being a candidate in the next London mayoral election, due in 2028. The former home secretary is known to be showing great interest in borough-by-borough polling into how the party could take back City Hall.
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London’s Tories are currently in turmoil with Susan Hall, who leads the eight-strong group on the Greater London Assembly, said to be determined to run again despite a disastrous campaign in 2024 and having raised eyebrows by signing up as an advisor to Rupert Lowe’s Restore Britain, a hard-right outfit openly advocating the large-scale “departure” through unspecified means of “legal migrants”. More sensible members of the group are said to be aghast.
Labour also has plenty to chew over with mayor Sadiq Khan not expected to seek a fourth term in office. Early candidates include Emily Thornberry, chair of the foreign affairs select committee after being the only serving MP not to retain her shadow cabinet role in government after the general election, and Tooting MP Rosena Allin Khan. The latter may have some work to do, though, after being sacked as trade envoy to South Africa and Mauritius last week for disloyalty.
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