Star Metro - James Cleverly leaves shadow cabinet to seek London mayoralty

Cleverly, the former foreign secretary and Braintree MP, said London needed a champion who understood its potential and would fight for its future. He had served as shadow secretary for housing, communities and local government since July 2025. He will campaign from the back benches and does not intend to seek re-election to Parliament at the next general election.

Labour Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan is halfway through his third term and has not decided whether to run again in May 2028. He said a final decision would come in the third year of the mayoral cycle, in 2027. If he steps down, Labour MPs including Dawn Butler and Rosena Allin-Khan are expected to consider the nomination.

Opinium polling reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service suggested the Conservatives could benefit from a candidate with a new political profile. Twenty-seven per cent of Londoners said service in the previous Conservative government made them less likely to support a candidate, against 23 per cent who viewed it positively. No ministerial background made 28 per cent more likely to vote Conservative and 20 per cent less likely. The pollster said links to the previous administration alone would not transform a candidate’s prospects.

A separate YouGov poll found 56 per cent of Londoners thought Khan should allow another Labour candidate to stand. Former Conservative mayoral candidate Lord Bailey also urged Khan not to seek a fourth term, arguing London needed new ideas and that Khan could instead work in the House of Lords. Khan, now Lord Khan of Tooting, was expected to be sworn in as a peer in September while remaining mayor.

A.Landry--SMC