'I can beat Sadiq Khan', says James Cleverly as voting starts to pick Tory candidate for London Mayor

Sir James Cleverly is appealing to Tory members in London to choose him as the party’s mayoral candidate to try to win City Hall from Lord Sadiq Khan in 2028.

Ahead of voting opening in the Conservative London mayoral selection process on Monday, the ex-Home Secretary told The Standard: "This is the best chance we've had since 2008.

“That's why I am putting myself forward.

“I am the best person to beat Khan."

The four Tories on the first shortlist to be the party’s candidate for Mayor of London: Festus Akinbusoye Sara Gezdari, Sir James Cleverly and Alex Challoner

Conservative Party

Conservative members in London have been given a final shortlist of three candidates from which to choose.

They are ex-Foreign Secretary Sir James, Westminster councillor Festus Akinbusoye and former Richmond Park and North Kingston parliamentary candidate Sara Gezdari.

Voting was starting at midday on Monday with the ballot running until November 18.

Andy Burnham has handed London Mayor Lord Khan new tax powers

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If a candidate gets 50% or more of the vote, that individual will be announced as the winner the following day.

If no-one passes this threshold there will be a second round of voting, starting on Friday November 20, for the final two candidates.

This ballot would close on Thursday November 26, with the winner declared the next day.

Sir James Cleverly who has heavily criticised Lord Khan

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However, Sir James said “I am asking London members to back me to send a message that the Conservative are back in London, and we're here to win it."

He argued: “We've got a Labour Mayor of London who has frankly been asleep at the wheel. We have an anti-London Prime Minister and an increasingly anti-London government.

“We have a party leader who is increasingly popular and credible.

“If we get this right through the candidate selection, and with an integrated campaign, we can win back the confidence of traditional Conservative voters... and win over new voters who agree with us but just don't realise they agree with us yet.”

Labour MPs (clockwise) Dawn Butler, Rosena Allin-Khan, Steve Reed and David Lammy

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If he did not, possible contenders to be Labour’s candidate include Brent East MP Dawn Butler, ex-Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Tooting MP Rosena Allin-Khan and former Communities Secretary Steve Reed, MP for Streatham and Croydon North.