James Cleverly has rejected claims he is “running scared” of Reform UK by seeking to become the Conservative candidate for London Mayor.
The former Home Secretary spoke to GB News after announcing his decision to step down from Kemi Badenoch’s Shadow Cabinet and seek the top job in the capital.
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Reacting to the news, Nigel Farage said Sir James was abandoning his Essex Braintree constituency over fears Reform would defeat him at the next general election.
“James Cleverly will not be the first Tory MP to give up any hope of winning their seat in Essex. They are done for,” he wrote on X.
Pressed on those claims, the former Shadow Justice Secretary insisted Braintree had “zero chance” of returning a Reform MP.
“I guarantee there is zero chance that Braintree will return a Reform MP,” he said.
Sir James also claimed Reform was “coming off the boil”, arguing that voters were increasingly seeking solutions rather than simply criticism of the Government.
He suggested that voters “recognise” there was little value in politicians who simply highlight problems without offering solutions.
“The people in Braintree recognised and the people in London recognise that there’s no point in just having people who point at problems and just say, ‘Oh, I don’t like it, I don’t like it’ like a toddler.’
“Voters want people who actually get a grip of the situation and make a positive difference.
“That’s true in Braintree. It’s true in London,” Sir James said, adding: “I guarantee you that Reform’s high watermark is well behind us.”
“They don’t have any solutions, and shouting at problems is one thing. Actually dealing with those things is something else.”
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To that end, the Tory MP set out his case to take Sadiq Khan’s job in the capital, declaring: “I intend to help London be a city we can all be proud of again.”
“I want to make sure that both the Conservative Party, when they select the candidate, and Londoners as a whole, know what I’m about,” he said.
“That they know what my experience is. They know what my priorities will be for this fantastic city.”
Sir James pointed to his previous experience at City Hall, where he served before becoming an MP.
He said he had worked on the police authority, chaired the fire authority, and served on the Waste and Recycling Board, while also proposing measures to reduce youth reoffending and violence.
“I intend to use my experience of working in London,” the mayoral hopeful stressed.
Providing her snap reaction to Sir James’s candidacy in the GB News studio yesterday, Reform London Mayor candidate Laila Cunningham warned her new rival could be “another Sadiq Khan”.
“He keeps saying that he can beat Labour. According to the latest poll, he’ll have to try and beat me first.”
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