James Cleverly kicks off London mayor bid with taunts at Sadiq Khan

Craig Munro | Senior Politics Reporter Published August 30, 2026 8:14am Updated August 30, 2026 8:15am James Cleverly would be the highest-profile Tory mayoral candidates in a decade (Picture: James Manning/PA Wire) Sir James Cleverly has announced he plans to run for Mayor of London – while mocking Labour incumbent Sir Sadiq Khan as having ‘lost the passion for the job’. The top Tory revealed on Saturday he was stepping down as leader Kemi Badenoch’s shadow housing secretary in order to kick off the bid. In an interview with the Times, he said the Conservatives needed a ‘credible big hitter’ to bag the capital at the next mayoral election, which will take place in 2028. Boris Johnson is the only Tory to have held the position, securing two victories over Labour’s Ken Livingstone in 2008 a