JAMES CLEVERLY QUITS SHADOW CABINET TO STAND FOR LONDON MAYOR

Sir James Cleverly has resigned from the shadow cabinet to contest the London mayoral election. The MP for Braintree, who previously served as foreign secretary, announced his decision in an op-ed for the Sunday Times. He stated that London needed "a champion, someone who understands its potential and is prepared to fight for its future". Cleverly wrote that he had informed Kemi Badenoch of his intention to leave the shadow cabinet with immediate effect.

Cleverly described his time in the shadow cabinet as "a privilege" and acknowledged that strong voices would remain around that table. He argued that running an effective mayoral campaign required him to be "free to speak about every aspect of London's future" and to "concentrate fully on winning this race". His resignation removes him from his position shadowing the Foreign Office within the opposition Labour Party's frontbench team.

The mayoral race will determine who succeeds the current London mayor. Cleverly's entry into the contest represents a significant shift in his political focus after holding senior Conservative Party positions. His campaign will now proceed outside the constraints of the shadow cabinet role.