Sir James Cleverly is stepping down from the shadow cabinet as he prepares a bid to become London Mayor, arguing that the capital has been “let down by Labour”.
The Conservative MP, who has been serving as shadow minister for housing, communities and local government, will leave the frontbench post with immediate effect.
Questions had been growing over the next stage of the Braintree MP’s political career, and it is understood he wanted to make his intentions clear before the party conference season begins this autumn.
No successor has yet been named for Mr Cleverly, 56, with a shadow cabinet reshuffle widely expected next month.
Should he win the Conservative selection contest, he would become the Tory candidate seeking to unseat Labour’s Sir Sadiq Khan, who is midway through his third term at City Hall.
Mr Khan has not said whether he plans to seek a fourth term in the London mayoral election scheduled for May 2028.
Announcing his move on X, Mr Cleverly wrote: “London needs more than an administrator.
“It needs a champion, someone who understands its potential and is prepared to fight for its future. That’s why I’m running to be the Conservative Candidate for London Mayor.”
James Cleverly is to resign as a shadow cabinet minister to run for London Mayor
Mr Cleverly will challenge Labour’s Sir Sadiq Khan, who is currently halfway through his third term as London Mayor
Mr Cleverly told party leader Kemi Badenoch of his decision on Thursday
Speaking to the Sunday Times, the former foreign secretary said he had informed party leader Kemi Badenoch on Thursday.
‘She took it well,’ he told the paper. ‘Kemi has been very gracious’.
He added in an op-ed that ‘London has been let down by Labour’ and accused Prime Minister Andy Burnham of viewing it as a ‘cash cow’. He said he intends to make ‘a city to be proud of again’.
Ms Badenoch is said to be disappointed to lose a pivotal member of her cabinet but supports Mr Cleverly to be the one to take on Mr Khan.
But she cannot officially endorse any candidate as they must win the Conservative Party’s nomination for the election.
It is not known if any other candidates intend to put themselves forward for the Tory position.
In 2024, Susan Hall stood for the party but lost to the incumbent mayor by around 200,000 votes.
The only candidate confirmed for the 2028 election so far is Reform’s Laila Cunningham, a Westminster City Councillor who defected from the Conservatives in June 2025.
‘We need a credible big hitter putting themselves forward for mayor of London,’ Mr Cleverly told the newspaper.
He added Mr Khan has been ‘asleep at the wheel’ while leading the UK’s largest city, accusing him of ‘lots of posturing’ with ‘very little delivery’.
Shadow ministers and fellow Tory MPs were quick to lend their support to the Essex MP. Richard Holden, shadow transport secretary said: ‘Excellent news for Londoners and the whole country.
‘A real heavyweight in the race who’d make a superb Mayor of London for every part of our great capital city.’
And MP for Huntingdon Ben Obese-Jecty said: ‘Put simply, James Cleverly will be an outstanding Mayor of London.
‘Fantastic news that he’s put himself forward to be the Conservative candidate. He has my full support. London needs new leadership and James has the experience and confidence to do it.’
Before first being elected as an MP in 2015, Mr Cleverly served on the London Assembly for eight years.
He held posts including leader of the Conservative group in the Assembly, the Mayor’s Youth Ambassador and, under Boris Johnson, Deputy Mayor.
The army reservist has been appointed to various cabinet positions under three prime ministers, including foreign and home secretary.
