Sadiq Khan v James Cleverly: Tory hopeful drums up support to be party's candidate for Mayor of London

Orpington MP Gareth BaconThe four are shadow London minister Gareth Bacon, MP for Orpington, as well as Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner MP David Simmonds, Bromley and Biggin Hill MP Peter Fortune, and Old Bexley and Sidcup MP Louie French.Mr Bacon said: “I’ve known James Cleverly for 23 years. I served alongside him on the London Assembly and in Parliament. “He is tailor made for this - he knows what he believes and why; he will fight for Londoners and focus on delivery.”A string of Tory council leaders have also thrown their support behind Sir James.They include Steve Tuckwell in Hillingdon, Elizabeth Campbell in Kensington and Chelsea, Paul Swaddle in Westminster, Colin Smith in Bromley, Paul Osborn in Harrow, Robert Morritt in Wandsworth, as well as Croydon Mayor Jason Perry.So far at least 235 Conservative councillors out of 407 in London, or around six in ten, have declared their backing for Sir James, as have three London Assembly members, Neil Garratt (Croydon and Sutton), Alessandro Georgiou (Londonwide & Enfield) and Thomas Turrell AM (Bexley and Bromley). Former Foreign Secretary Sir James said: “I'm hugely grateful to the Members of Parliament, Councillors, Council Leaders and London Assembly Members from every corner of London who have put their names and support behind my campaign to be the Conservative candidate for Mayor of London.” Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has launched a wide search for the best person to be her party’s London mayoral candidatePAIn an interview with The Standard, Sir James outlined how he would campaign for the London mayoralty on “classical” Tory policies and as an “aspirational, entrepreneurial, forward-thinking Conservative candidate”.If he does not stand, Brent East MP Dawn Butler, ex-Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, MP for Tottenham, and Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, MP for Tooting, are expected to launch bids to be Labour’s mayoral candidate.Lord Sadiq Khan is expected to decide next year whether to seek a fourth term in City HallPANigel Farage’s Reform UK selected ex-Tory Westminster councillor Laila Cunningham as its mayoral contender at the start of the year.