Labour and Reform MPs round on Cleverly as he accuses Khan of being 'asleep at the wheel' over London crime
Sir James Cleverly plans to attack Labour PM Andy Burnham for treating London as a "cash cow" as he prepares to launch a Conservative bid for London mayor.Sadiq Khan, whom Sir James Cleverly would face in the 2028 mayoral contest, would first need to be beaten in the Conservative Party nomination process before Cleverly can challenge him.Reform UK's Laila Cunningham is already confirmed in the 2028 race, with a shock poll suggesting she could knock the Conservatives out of the mayoral run-off entirely.Laila Cunningham is currently the only confirmed candidate challenging Sir James Cleverly's ambition to make London "the best place in the world to live, work, invest and build a business.
Labour's Steve Reed savaged Cleverly's record on London policing the moment the announcement dropped, asking whether Londoners had forgotten the Tory government that "cut London's police, doubled homelessness and starved London of funding." Cleverly had attacked Khan for losing "passion for the job" and allowing London's reputation to "slip at home and abroad." Reform's Laila Cunningham, the only confirmed mayoral candidate, warned Cleverly could become "another Sadiq Khan" who ignores crime on the streets.
Reform chairman Lee Anderson mocked Cleverly's bid, asking whether it meant the Lib Dems would have two candidates standing.
Cunningham warned the race could pit two career politicians against her, saying 'if Khan runs, it will be two career politicians running against an outsider.'
Badenoch, described as 'gutted' to lose him from her top team, has urged other Tory candidates to come forward rather than endorsing Cleverly outright.
