Kemi Badenoch plans to use the Conservatives' election success in the capital as a 'bridgehead' towards snatching the London mayoralty from Labour's Sadiq Khan. The Tory leader hopes to follow the precedent set by Boris Johnson, whose success in 2008 presaged a revival for the party as a whole.
The Tories took back control of Westminster in Thursday's elections – which they had lost to Labour in 2022 – and deprived the party of control in Wandsworth. They also managed to hold off a Reform UK challenge in Bexley and Bromley.
The possible Tory candidates for the 2028 contest include former Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Olympic athlete Seb Coe – although a source said: 'Kemi doesn't want a coronation and looks forward to hearing from potential candidates.' Mr Johnson dubbed the job the 'best in the world'.
Sir Sadiq has hinted he will seek a fourth term as mayor and insists he still has a 'lot of fuel in the tank'. During his tenure he has been embroiled in various controversies such as the endless 20mph speeding zones in the capital.
A senior Conservative said: 'Reform threw millions of pounds at London. Farage had been open that Bexley was his number one target. He was talking up Bromley and other boroughs as surefire Reform wins. In the end we increased our vote in Bexley and elsewhere, and Reform were reduced to taking only Havering off the local independents. We have established a bridgehead.'
'On these results, Laila Cunningham [Reform's mayoral candidate] will be vying with Count Binface for sixth place in the next contest.' Reform's Nigel Farage has admitted that London is 'a problem' for his ambitions to become prime minister.
Labour sustained losses in councils across London as the Green Party made gains in traditional Labour heartland areas. The Greens' Zoe Garbett was elected mayor of Hackney, with the party also claiming the mayoralties in Lewisham and Waltham Forest.
A Tory source said: 'Labour has been routed from all but its safest London boroughs, and is now in a straight fight with the Greens to stay competitive in London. And while the Lib Dems have turned certain areas of south-west London into one party states, only the Conservatives can legitimately claim to have appeal across the whole of the capital city.'
'Kemi has made no secret of her desire for a competitive contest for the Tory mayoral candidate after poor showings from Susan Hall, Shaun Bailey and Zac Goldsmith. She wants someone like her who hasn't spent a lifetime in politics, ideally with a bit of business experience, and who can cut through with the general public and outperform the brand in the way she has.'
