Reform UK Unveils 2028 London Mayoral Star: Laila Cunningham
Reform UK announces Laila Cunningham as its 2028 London mayor candidate, promising tough crime policies and a fresh challenge to Sadiq Khan’s leadership.
Reform UK has announced that Westminster City Councillor Leila Cunningham will be the party's candidate for the 2028 London mayoral election.
Cunningham and party leader Nigel Farage appeared together at a press conference, surrounded by banners that read: "London Needs Reform."
The councillor, who defected from the Conservative Party last year, took aim at London's Labour mayor, Sir Sadiq Khan, and said she had a "different message" for Londoners.
She said: "There's a new sheriff coming to town, and I will wage all-out war on crime."
Since the next London mayoral election isn't until 2028, Farage said Cunningham would also be the face of the party's campaign ahead of this May's local elections.
The Reform leader described it as the "most important" electoral test before the next general election.
Cunningham told the press conference that her priorities for the Metropolitan Police would be tackling "knife crime, drugs, robbery, shoplifting, rape."
The Westminster councillor said she would rewrite the London policing and crime plan and give the Met a "new mandate" to "tackle serious crime."
The mayoral candidate also said she would scrap the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) if she came to power in London.
'Divisive'
Responding to the announcement, a source close to the London Mayor said: "Sadiq is working to build a fairer, safer, greener city for every Londoner.
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"Sadiq has delivered 100 million free school meals for children in state primary schools across the capital, helping families with the cost of living.
"Homicides are at record lows in London, he has built record numbers of council homes, and Sadiq's policies have reduced harmful air pollution in the capital by 27%." Liberal Democrat London spokesperson, Luke Taylor MP, said: “From its history to its culture, to its people, London is the greatest city in the world, but everything Reform does is designed to bring it down.
“Cunningham and Farage care more about sowing division than solving the real problems facing Londoners. The Liberal Democrats will stand up for the millions of Londoners who love this city and its values and ensure London remains a better place for everyone.”
Khan vs Cunningham?
The Reform Party has announced its candidate for an election that is still two and a half years away.
They are billing the 2028 contest as “Khan vs Cunningham,” but the truth is it’s not yet clear whether Sir Sadiq Khan will even stand for a fourth term.
However, they have made it clear what they believe the main election issue will be – crime.
Announcing a candidate so early is unusual – if a week is a long time in politics, then two and a half years is an eternity.
A lot could change for all involved in that time, but it does give the Reform Party a figurehead to lead their campaign for this May’s London elections, which will be crucial in testing how effective their message is in the capital.
The party currently has only one councillor elected here – with six others, including Leila Cunningham, having joined them – out of almost 1,800 councillors in London.
But this time, many observers believe they have a real chance of gaining control of one or more boroughs in outer London.
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