Sir James Cleverly has stepped down as shadow housing secretary to run as the Conservative candidate for Mayor of London in May 2028.
The 57-year-old former Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary informed Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch last month that he would resign from her shadow cabinet and will not contest his parliamentary seat of Braintree at the next general election.
Cleverly, who has not yet been formally selected as the official Conservative candidate, said he is committing entirely to the contest without a backup plan. "Well then I've burned all my boats, haven't I?" he said. "I can't go back to Braintree with my tail between my legs. So I've got to throw everything at it. There is no parachute. No safety net. No Plan B. I am all in."
Badenoch was supportive of his decision to run for mayor, according to Cleverly, although she was less keen on him giving up his shadow cabinet post two years ahead of the mayoral vote.
Identity mix-up and public reaction
The announcement follows a public mix-up by former Sun editor and political commentator David Yelland, who confused Cleverly with Kwasi Kwarteng in a post on X, describing him as "Liz Truss's Brexit chancellor."
Cleverly, who served as Foreign Secretary for more than a year before becoming Home Secretary, responded on social media: "David, I'm the other black one." Reflecting on the exchange, Cleverly said: "The first thing I did was laugh," adding, "I don't think it was racist - just sloppy and lazy."
He noted that mistaken identity is not unusual in political life, recalling a taxi ride with Kwarteng when the driver recognised Kwarteng and asked if he was Labour politician David Lammy. "It's not the first time and it won't be the last time," Cleverly said.
Challenge to Sadiq Khan and London leadership
Cleverly has launched strong criticism of Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan, who has held office since May 2016 and is currently two years into his fourth term. He accused Khan of being "massively underperforming, nowhere near as energetic or passionate as he should have been and asleep at the wheel when it comes to crime."
Setting out his campaign priorities, Cleverly promised to "go to war" with Khan over policies affecting motorists, protect London from being treated "like a cash cow" by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, and restore the capital's international reputation so American visitors stop asking "Is it safe, is it OK?"
Cleverly also condemned Khan's public disputes with former US President Donald Trump as "totally counterproductive and amplifying unfair and inaccurate criticism of London around the world."
Addressing criticism from regional leaders, Cleverly rejected views expressed by Burnham. "He buys into lazy anti-London stereotypes - he thinks everyone here is rich, that London has more than its fair share, and forgets how much we contribute," Cleverly said.
Crime, transport, and economic issues
The prospective candidate highlighted multiple concerns facing Londoners under the current administration, including rising knife crime, muggings, murders, gang activity targeting luxury shoppers in Mayfair, and tent encampments on Park Lane.
He also pointed to economic and infrastructure pressures, including falling property prices, repeated Transport for London strike action, and resident complaints regarding the financial impact of the expanded Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). Members of London's Jewish community have also reported feeling increasingly anxious.
Following the fatal stabbing of a 52-year-old woman in Shepherd's Bush, west London, Reform UK mayoral candidate Laila Cunningham asserted that no part of the capital was safe. In response to safety concerns, Cleverly said: "Everyone has a right to be safe - everyone. There has been political cowardice in some quarters where people are unable to say that behaviour is unacceptable."
Despite highlighting these issues, Cleverly maintained an optimistic outlook, describing London as "brilliant, fantastic and amazing" with lower crime rates than many comparable global cities. He praised London residents as "courteous, elegant and fantastic hustlers" and pledged to ensure the city is "buzzing and safe and clean."
Military background and political career
The 6ft 2in politician brings an 11-year parliamentary career and varied background to his campaign. Born in Lewisham to a white Wiltshire surveyor, James, and a Sierra Leonean nurse, Evelyn, who came to Britain in the 1960s, Cleverly described his upbringing as very happy despite encountering societal racism during his youth.
His early political awareness was shaped during the 1978 Winter of Discontent, marked by power cuts interrupting television broadcasts of Doctor Who, overflowing rubbish bins, and public sector strikes affecting his mother.
Before entering politics, Cleverly served as an officer in the Army Reserves, an experience he credits with instilling personal organisation and structure. He later earned a degree in hospitality management from what is now the University of West London in Ealing, established his own publishing company, and served as the Mayor of London's Youth Ambassador in the London Assembly.
Citing former US President Ronald Reagan as a political role model, Cleverly said he aims to avoid negative campaigning, noting that Reagan's philosophy showed "you don't have to demonise anyone or be negative and divisive or angry to get things done." He drew a contrast with former Tory London Assembly member Susan Hall, whose mayoral bid failed two years ago following a negative campaign strategy.
Personal life and past controversies
In his Portcullis House office, surrounded by military memorabilia, Cleverly wore a crisp white shirt and two watches: an Apple Watch for communications and a Breitling. He removed his striped braces before photographs, joking that they looked "too Gordon Gekko."
Cleverly met his wife Susie at a student union bar in Ealing when he was 24 and she was 20, telling her she had "the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen in my life." The couple have been married for 26 years and have two sons.
He spoke of relying on miniature Warhammer figure painting as a stress-relief exercise during his wife's treatment for breast cancer, which coincided with their son's A-level examinations and the political turmoil surrounding the end of Boris Johnson's premiership. Cleverly explained that painting "engages your brain at a level, like yoga. So it reduces the heart rate, reduces stress levels."
Addressing past controversies, Cleverly's career has included notable public missteps. In 2010, he directed an offensive term at Liberal Democrat MP Simon Hughes on Twitter, and in 2023 he referred to the constituency of Stockton North in crude terms, later clarifying his target was MP Alex Cunningham.
While serving as Home Secretary during a government crackdown on date rape drugs, Cleverly also faced widespread criticism for a joke made at a Downing Street reception regarding sedating his wife with Rohypnol. Apologising for past errors, Cleverly stated: "We all make mistakes. Of course we do. But own them. Say sorry and move on."
