Shaun Bailey selected as Conservative candidate for London mayor
3 min read
Shaun Bailey has been chosen as the Conservatives' candidate to be the next mayor of London.
The former advisor to David Cameron defeated colleagues Joy Morrissey and Andrew Boff to win the nomination for the 2020 election.
Mr Bailey won 3,164 votes - 43% of the total - in the first round, before beating second placed Mr Boff by nearly 800 votes in the second round.
The London Assembly member said tackling rising violent crime in the capital would be a key focus of his mayoralty if he defeated Labour Sadiq Khan, who will be seeking a second term in office.
"It is a great honour to be selected as the Conservative Party’s candidate for the 2020 London mayoral election," Mr Bailey said.
"For someone who grew up in a council house in one of the poorest parts of London, securing this nomination is proof that our city truly is the place where anything is possible.
"London has given me so much. It’s why I’ve spent my entire adult life trying to repay its generosity, either through my twenty plus years of youth work helping to steer children away from a life of crime and towards work opportunities, or my current involvement on the London Assembly, where I have done my best to hold the current mayor to account.
"Local government is important work and our city is facing real challenges. Violent crime is up. Gang crime is up. Knife crime is up. Our transport system faces a £1bn hole in its operating budget. New homes are not being built fast enough.
"After two and a half years of Sadiq Khan, it is clear we cannot afford more of the same. I look forward to meeting with Londoners in every borough and continuing the conversation about how we can do better to make sure London works for everyone."
Tory chair Brandon Lewis said: “I’m delighted Shaun Bailey has been elected as our candidate.
“He is passionate about London and has the ideas London needs to continue to be the best capital city in the world.
“London is being let down by Sadiq Khan, who keeps breaking the promises he made to Londoners on crime, housing and transport.
“I know Shaun will hold him to account and outline his positive vision for London.”
Labour MP for Battersea, Marsha de Cordova, said of Mr Bailey’s comments: "The Tories in London never change.
“They have selected a candidate who as a Downing Street Special Adviser helped to implement £1bn of cuts to the Metropolitan Police and cut millions from London's youth services.
“Not only does he fully support a hard Brexit, but he's already shown he is willing to repeat Zac Goldsmith's Islamophobic campaign for Mayor. London deserves so much better than this.”
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