James Cleverly has resigned from Kemi Badenoch’s shadow cabinet in order to launch his bid to become mayor of London.

Cleverly, who served as shadow housing and local government secretary, said he would put himself forward for the Conservatives’ candidacy for London mayor, arguing in an op-ed that the capital needed someone who “is prepared to fight for its future.” A former Conservative Party chairman who also served as foreign secretary and home secretary under successive governments, Cleverly brings significant frontline experience to the contest — though the role of mayor would mark a shift from national to directly elected local politics.

His candidacy would make him the most high-profile figure to stand for the Conservatives in London since Boris Johnson left the post in 2016. The next mayoral election is scheduled for 2028, and the Conservatives have not won the mayoralty since Johnson stood down.

Sir Sadiq Khan, who has been mayor since 2016, has not confirmed whether he would stand again as the Labour candidate in 2028. Former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer elevated Khan to the House of Lords in his resignation honours last month.

It has been widely rumoured that Dawn Butler, the Labour MP for Brent Central and Brent South, could put herself forward to run for London. On Friday, Butler teased a campaign slogan as she stood in front of a sign reading “A New Dawn” in Victoria before doing interviews with members of the public to talk up the capital.

Cleverly attacks Khan and Burnham

Cleverly’s decision is likely to put an end to speculation over who could stand for the Tories in London.

Writing in an op-ed for The Sunday Times, Cleverly said: “Our capital should never be embarrassed by its success. Its success drives the British economy, and the route both to Britain’s economic recovery and to the next Conservative government runs through London.”

He also accused Andy Burnham of treating the capital as a “cash cow” for higher tax receipts, while saying Khan had let London’s “reputation slip.”

“I am putting myself forward to be the Conservative candidate for mayor of London, because our capital needs more than an administrator. It needs a champion, it needs someone who believes in London, understands its potential and is prepared to fight for its future,” he wrote.

One source working with Tories in London said he believed Cleverly would be the only candidate able to take on the capital, which is widely viewed as strong Labour territory. Labour has dominated London’s electoral landscape in recent years, making the mayoralty a steep challenge for any Conservative candidate.

Former Westminster councillor and Tory member Laila Cunningham is set to stand for Reform. The party’s leader, Nigel Farage, said last year that he believed Cunningham could take London’s mayoralty. Reform’s entry into the race adds a further dynamic, as the party has polled strongly in parts of England since the 2024 general election.

The Conservatives will select their candidate through the party’s usual selection process ahead of the 2028 contest.