I am running as an Independent candidate for Mayor of London, and here’s why.

Please join me in my campaign: https://t.co/8y3xWpl9hY#Rory4London pic.twitter.com/jnaNy8IF0s

— Rory Stewart (@RoryStewartUK) October 4, 2019

The MP for one of the most northern constituencies in the country is not only standing down and quitting the Tories, he’s moving 300 miles south to stand against Sadiq Khan, Shaun Bailey, the Greens’ Sian Berry, and the Lib Dems’ Siobhan Benita as an independent candidate in what is becoming a very crowded mayoral race. The election takes place in eight months on 7 May 2020…

Rory announced his candidacy in a selfie video from Millennium Bridge. His pitch is “the way to fight back is through this great city. Through the traditions of compromise, the energy and diversity of this city.” Rory might want to tone down his rhetoric there, “fight back” sounds very militaristic…

UPDATE: Tory candidate Shaun Bailey has responded to Rory’s announcement by saying he welcomes more voices challenging Sadiq Khan…

“I welcome any candidate’s decision to stand and hold Mr Khan to account over his woeful record in London. We have all suffered for too long under a mayor with no plans, no ideas for London and entirely focused on moving back to Westminster to take over the leadership of the Labour Party.

London faces real challenges and that’s why I will continue to focus on serious violent crime and how we’re going to get a grip on the violence on our streets.”