Reform UK announces 2028 London mayoral candidate

Reform UK has announced that Laila Cunningham, a Westminster City Councillor, will be the party's candidate for 2028 London mayoral election.

Cunningham and the party's leader, Nigel Farage, appeared together at a news conference surrounded by banners which read: "London needs Reform."

The councillor, who defected from the Conservatives last year, took aim at Labour Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan and said she had a "different message" for Londoners.

"There will be a new sheriff in town, and I'll be launching an all-out war on crime," she said. In response, Labour said Reform was "offering the capital nothing but division and decline".

With the capital not due to vote for the next London mayor until 2028, Farage said Cunningham would also be the figurehead for the party's campaign ahead of this May's local elections.

The Reform leader described it as the "single most significant" electoral test ahead of the next general election.

Cunningham told the news 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 police and crime plan and give "new marching orders" to the Met to "tackle crime that matters".

Cunningham said she would also scrap the ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) if she won power in London.

Responding to the announcement, the Labour Party in London said: "London represents everything Reform UK opposes: multiculturalism, openness and confidence in our shared future."

It said the announcement of Cunningham "confirms that Reform UK are offering the capital nothing but division and decline".

The spokesperson added: "Cunningham has made a habit of talking London down, repeatedly portraying our city as broken while opposing the multiculturalism that makes it the best city in the world."

A source close to London's mayor said Sir Sadiq was "getting on with the job of delivering a fairer, safer, greener city for every Londoner".

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 all Reform seems to do is talk it down.

"Cunningham and Farage care more about sowing division than they do about solving the actual problems that Londoners face.

"The Liberal Democrats will stand up for the millions of Londoners who love this city and its values and ensure London is a better place for everyone."

Analysis by Karl Mercer, BBC London's political editor

So Reform have gone early in announcing their candidate for an election that is still two and a half years away.

They're billing the 2028 contest as "Khan v Cunningham", but in truth it's not yet clear if Sir Sadiq will run again for what would be a fourth term in office.

They have, though, laid out what they see as the main battleground - crime.

Announcing a candidate this early is unusual - if a week's a long time in politics, then two and a half years is an eternity.

Much can change in that time for all involved, but what it will do is give Reform a face to lead their campaign for this May's London elections, which will be crucial for testing how well their message plays in the capital.

The party has so far only had one councillor elected here - six others, like Laila Cunningham, have defected to them - that's out of about 1,800 councillors in London.

But this time many observers feel they have a real chance of winning control of one or more boroughs in outer London.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected]