Senior minister to announce London Mayoral candidacy next week
Sadiq Khan claims some opposing ULEZ are ‘far right’
Senior Tory minister Paul Scully will announce his candidacy for London Mayor within the next week, The Express has learn.
Mr Scully, the MP for outer London constituency Sutton and Cheam, is currently putting together a team and policies ahead of his launch early next week.
The Express understands Mr Scully will not stand down from either of his ministerial roles during the campaign, over a desire to demonstrate delivery as well as promise it for Londoners.
Tory HQ fired the starting pistol for their London Mayoral candidate race yesterday, giving London Conservatives who want the prize role until May 24 to submit their papers.
The successful three-person shortlist, selected by the party, will then go on to face London members of the party for hustings, debates and campaigning, before the eventual winner is announced in the middle of July.
That will then leave 10 months for the Tory Candidate to campaign against Sadiq Khan before the Mayoral Election in 2024.
Mr Scully will be the most senior name to put his hat in the ring when he declares, though the Telegraph reported yesterday that No. 10 is also pushing for Security Minister Tom Tugendhat to go for the job.
Mr Scully will focus on housing, scrapping Sadiq Khan’s ULEZ expansion and giving the Met Police extra resources, including the ability to improve the vetting of bobbies.
Don’t miss…
Badenoch on collision course with Tory MPs over ‘capitulation’ to the Lords[LATEST]
PMQs showed us that Sunak would rather Starmer answered the questions[LATEST]
Bridgen joins Reclaim claiming main parties have ‘abandoned the public'[LATEST]
Three candidates have already declared they intend to run for the candidacy, including Samuel Kasumu and former City Hall Tory Leader Susan Hall.
Mr Kasumu, a former Boris Johnson advisor who has already picked up senior endorsements, promises to offer “a new vision that unites the city and inspires hope”.
Samuel Kasumu has already been endorsed by Priti Patel, Grant Shapps, Steve Baker and Richard Taylor – the father of Damilola Taylor, a 10-year-old Nigerian schoolboy killed in London in 2000 by two brothers aged 12 and 13.
He has picked Keith Prince as his running mate, a London Assembly Member and former leader of Redbridge Council.
Former City Hall Tory leader Susan Hall has also announced she’s running, promising a common sense pitch to sort out the mess created by Sadiq Khan.
Ms Hall says that having years of experience going head-to-head with Sadiq Khan in the London Assembly, she knows his weaknesses and how to expose him for who he really is.
She added: “We need to beat Sadiq Khan, so we can get the police working again, stop punishing people with unfair taxes, and build a lot more homes in the right places.”
“Not too long ago, London was a safer, happier and more tolerant city. It can be that again. If I am your candidate, we will get there.”
Source: Read Full Article