Cleverly quits shadow cabinet to run for London mayor

Senior Conservative Sir James Cleverly has said he is quitting the shadow cabinet to stand for London mayor.

The former foreign secretary and Braintree MP said the capital needs “more than an administrator” after seeing its reputation “slip, at home and abroad, while too many of its problems have been left to fester.”

Speculation had rumbled for months that Sir James, who held the shadow housing, communities and local government brief since last July, was planning a bid for City Hall.

Labour incumbent Sir Sadiq Khan is halfway through his third term and has not confirmed whether he will stand again in May 2028.

Sir James, who also served as home secretary, will campaign from the backbenches and is not seeking re-election in his constituency at the next general election.

In an op-ed for the Sunday Times, he said he had told Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch he would leave the shadow cabinet, opening up a vacancy amid rumours of reshuffle planned for next month.

“Serving there has been a privilege, and I know there will continue to be strong voices around that table,” he said.

“But to run the most effective campaign possible, I must be free to speak about every aspect of London’s future and concentrate fully on winning this race.”

He accused Prime Minister Andy Burnham of treating London as “a cash cow: somewhere to tax, regulate, raid and blame” and promised instead to champion the city’s “extraordinary reserves of talent and almost limitless potential”.

Sir James, who grew up in the capital and served on the London Assembly before becoming an MP, said: “That means creating a London that is both aspirational and affordable. 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.

“We cannot tax and subsidise our way to prosperity. We must reduce the cost of building homes and running businesses and remove the barriers holding people back.”

Published: 29/08/2026 by Radio NewsHub