'We are not complacent': Ex-Boris adviser Samuel Kasumu emerges as Tory frontrunner for Mayor of London
25 April 2023, 08:57
A former Downing Street adviser has been endorsed by senior ministers as the Tory frontrunner for the London Mayoral elections next year.
Samuel Kasumu, 35, announced as part of his official bid to become the next mayor of London he has received the backing of three senior Conservatives.
In a statement posted online, Mr Kasumu said: “A journey of 10,000 miles begins with one step. I’m delighted that my big to become the conservatives candidate for mayor of London has the support of three stalwarts of the party.”
Senior ministers Grant Schapps, the Energy Security and Net Zero secretary and Steve Baker, a senior Northern Ireland Office minister, have both publicly endorsed him. He has also received the support of former Home Secretary, Priti Patel.
With these senior backings, the 35-year-old can now confidently be described as the Tory frontrunner for the mayoral election in May 2024.
Until now, the Conservative Party has struggled to find a concrete candidate to face Labour’s Mr Khan in the elections, as one senior minister told the Telegraph: “We are flailing around trying to find somebody.”
Previously, the party approached Iain Dale, who turned it down; TV personality Rob Rinder; and former Tory Cabinet minister, Justine Greening.
Mr Kasumu has been a Conservative Party member since the age of 19, he previously worked for Boris Johnson as a special adviser on civil society and communications between 2019 and 2021 and was also Mr Johnson’s “point man” for engaging with the UK’s black and ethnic minority populations.
Grant Shapps, who previously worked with Mr Kasumu in his Welwyn Hatfield constituency, said of his former colleague: “It has always been clear that London is in his heart. The capital is both where he was born and where he grew up. I wish him all the best and look forward to supporting him in his next phase”.
Similarly, Ms Patel who worked alongside the frontrunner amid the Windrush scandal, said: “Samuel is authentic, hardworking, and has a deep commitment to improving the lives of London’s citizens and bringing communities from across our great city together.
“For the forthcoming London mayoral elections, the Conservative Party needs to select a candidate that can reach all parts of the capital, and Samuel’s track record in being able to deliver is clear.”
Mr Baker also added: “Samuel recognises the importance of being a strong bridge uniting communities, and taking a stand when it is required for the greater good.
"A successful Conservative Mayor of London must have an authentic story to inspire the hope of a better future for those who need it most. Our candidate must have a thoroughgoing commitment to bettering the lot of others by genuinely Conservative means.”
Addressing the news, Mr Kasumu said: “Very soon London Conservatives will have the opportunity to select the candidate they feel is best suited to pull off one of the greatest upsets in modern political history.
I believe that person is me, and I look forward to making the case in the coming weeks and months.”
He also offered an alternative to Mr Khan’s controversial Ulez expansion earlier this month, as he said he would offer boroughs affected by the scheme the chance to vote on whether to remain in the zone or not.
The 35-year-old also added to his official announcement: "We are not complacent. We recognise the scale of the task ahead and will be fighting to earn the trust of every Conservatives Party member in London."
