Alex Challoner, who was knocked off the longlist for the Tory London mayoral selection, has backed James Cleverly as voting opens today.
Challoner, who founded Cavendish Communications, made a bid for the Tory nomination with a policy blitz but didn’t make the shortlist of three announced at the end of last month. Challoner tells Guido he now backs Cleverly:
“London needs a champion. It needs someone who can reach every part of the capital and connect with every community in our great city. And it needs a mayor who can unleash London’s full potential. That is why I am backing James to be the Conservative candidate for Mayor of London.
James spent his life in this city, and he knows that a family in Bexley and a family in Brent want the same things: safe streets, a home they can afford and the chance to get on in life.
The coming election is our party’s best chance of winning in years. It is not just about who will be the next mayor, but it will be a battle of ideas over what London’s future should look like. James has a clear vision for London as a city that is proud of its success, aspirational and affordable, and the engine of the British economy.
Above all, James loves this city. He has the drive to make the capital better for every Londoner, not just a few. James is the only candidate that can take the fight to Sadiq Khan and I will do everything I can to help him win.”
Cleverly for his part said: “It’s great to have Alex’s support and I look forward to working closely with him to make the case for change, and lay out my plan to make London a city we can all be proud of again.” Always nice to get a rival…
Voting opens at midday today and runs for two weeks. The other candidates are Westminster City councillor Festus Akinbusoye and former Richmond Park PPC Sara Gezdari. Meanwhile Khan can’t decide if he wants to do it again…
Krishnan Guru-Murthy asked John Healey: “Just finally, I mean Andy Burnham has been very clear he wants Britain back in the European Union in his lifetime. Do you?”
The Chancellor replied: “I’m older than Andy Burnham. I don’t expect to see that.”