Senior Tories wanted right wing Reform candidate for London mayor - not Susan Hall

Subscribe For Expert Analysis From Westminster Via Email

Subscribe To Our Free Westminster View Email

According to The Independent's sources, a member of the government's cabinet and other upper-level members of the Conservative Party pushed for Howard Cox of Reform UK to be their chosen candidate for London Mayor, rather than Susan Hall who has recently faced difficulties.

Someone in the prime minister's close circle reportedly sent a letter to Rishi Sunak, urging him to choose the right-wing driver advocate Mr. Cox over Susan Hall, who was nominated by the London party members.

The statements were made when Barry Macleod-Cullinane, the former deputy leader in Harrow Council, expressed his support for Sadiq Khan of the Labour party. This was in response to a recent Savanta poll that revealed Sadiq Khan to be leading his Conservative opponent by 10 points.

An individual, whose identity was not disclosed, reported that Howard has collaborated with the minister and other Conservative MPs in the Fair Fuel UK campaign for a considerable amount of time, exhibiting exceptional campaigning skills. The minister believed that Howard would be a great contender for the London mayoral election and conveyed the same to the Prime Minister. However, the latter paid no attention to the recommendation.

People who are familiar with Mr. Cox's situation have informed The Independent that a few influential Conservative Members of Parliament, including ministers, have attempted to persuade him to change his mind even after he stated his support for Reform.

Senior MPs and ministers have informed Howard that he would easily win with the support of the Tory party and have asked him multiple times if he would be interested in running.

An elected official stated that the Ulez (ultra low emission zone) is the primary concern in this election. They also mentioned that Howard, who has gained a lot of experience fighting for drivers with Fair Fuel UK, would have been the perfect candidate for this role. This message has been conveyed to him.

People who are trying to convince Mr. Cox to join their cause have been told that he values his principles and stands by his word. He has made it clear that he does not go back on promises he has made to others.

It has been reported that he was dissatisfied with the Conservative party's decision to maintain Ulez within inner London and do away with Sadiq Khan's expansion of the £12.50 daily fee for non-compliant harmful vehicles to areas outside of inner London.

The Conservative Party chose not to provide any statement regarding the allegations. Nonetheless, the disagreement taking place in private has exposed a sense of discomfort over the appointment of Ms. Hall. She has received criticism due to her conservative stance and endorsement of Donald Trump.

Previously, there were feelings of frustration over accusations that someone tried to ruin Paul Scully's attempt to become the Conservative candidate. In addition, other prominent individuals were also eliminated from consideration.

In the meantime, Mr. Macleod-Cullinane, who used to work as Ms. Hall's assistant, worsened her problems just before the election.

He imagined a scenario where he and Mr. Khan were together and shared a post on the social media platform X (previously known as Twitter). In the post, he mentioned that he was formerly the deputy of Councillor Suzie on the Harrow Council for seven years. He stated that he plans to give his vote to UK Labour's Sadiq Khan for the position of Mayor of London once again on May 2. He believes that Sadiq Khan would work for the benefit of all the individuals residing in the magnificent city.

The results of a Savanta survey indicate that Mr. Khan is set to win by a large margin when votes are tallied on Saturday, with a projected 42 percent of the vote. In contrast, Ms. Hall is predicted to receive 32 percent of the vote, while Mr. Cox is expected to come in fifth place with a mere 3 percent.

This year, the election for the London mayor will be using the first past the post system, which is a new development since the position was introduced. This means that the winner will not need to achieve more than 50% in order to be declared victorious. In previous elections, if no candidate obtained 50% plus one, there would be a second round between the two candidates with the most votes.

Someone who supports Ms. Hall and identifies as a Conservative has disregarded Mr. Macleod-Cullinane's endorsement of the current London mayor, citing his Twitter profile as a reason.

Mr Macleod-Cullinane sees himself as a member of the "remainer institutional mind virus" and hopes to become a part of the "woke blob".