Conservative Member of Parliament Sir James Cleverly has announced his resignation from the shadow cabinet to pursue the candidacy for mayor of London. Cleverly stated his decision in an op-ed published in The Times, where he wrote, "I am putting myself forward to be the Conservative candidate for mayor of London, because our capital needs more than an administrator."
Cleverly informed Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch of his departure from his role as shadow housing secretary. He explained that he needs to be "free to speak about every aspect of London's future and concentrate fully on winning this race."
The election for London's mayor is not scheduled until 2028. The current incumbent, Labour's Sir Sadiq Khan, has not yet confirmed whether he will seek a fourth term in office.