A cupboard minister was amongst senior Tories who pushed for Reform UK’s Howard Cox to be their candidate for London mayor as an alternative of the beleaguered Susan Corridor, The Unbiased understands.
A supply near the prime minister’s inside circle has claimed they wrote to Rishi Sunak pleading with him to pick out the right-wing motorist campaigner Mr Cox forward of the choice by London social gathering members to appoint Susan Corridor.
The claims come as Ms Corridor’s former deputy chief in Harrow Council, Barry Macleod-Cullinane, at the moment endorsed Labour’s Sadiq Khan as a Savanta ballot put him 10 factors forward of his Conservative rival.
The supply stated: “Howard has labored with [the minister] and different [Conservative] MPs for a few years on the Truthful Gas UK marketing campaign and he is a superb campaigner. [The minister] thought he would make a wonderful candidate for London mayor and advised the PM however was ignored.”
Sources near Mr Cox have additionally advised The Unbiased that he has been lobbied by quite a lot of senior Tory MPs together with ministers even after he dedicated to Reform.
“Howard has been advised by senior MPs together with ministers that ‘with Tory backing you’ll win arms down’ and on quite a few events been requested ‘would you think about’ operating.”
One MP stated: “Ulez [the ultra-low-emission zone] is the principle problem on this election and Howard has years of expertise campaigning for motorists with Truthful Gas UK. He would have been preferrred and I’ve advised him that.”
Mr Cox is known to have advised these trying to woo him that he “is a person of precept” and “as soon as I’ve given my phrase to someone I gained’t return on it”.
He’s additionally understood to have been sad that the Conservatives wish to maintain Ulez in inside London and solely scrap Mr Khan’s extension of the £12.50 a day cost on non-compliant polluting autos to outer London.
The Conservative Celebration declined to touch upon the claims. Nevertheless, the row behind the scenes has mirrored unease over the choice of Ms Corridor who has been criticised for her right-wing views together with supporting Donald Trump.
There was beforehand anger at an alleged try and scupper former London minister Paul Scully’s bid to be the Tory candidate whereas different high-profile contenders had been additionally compelled out of the race.
In the meantime, Ms Corridor’s former deputy Mr Macleod-Cullinane added to her woes on the eve of polling.
Picturing himself with Mr Khan, he posted on X (previously Twitter): “I used to be @Councillorsuzie’s deputy on @harrow_council for over 7 years. On 2nd Could, I’ll be voting for @UKLabour’s @SadiqKhan to be @MayorofLondon once more, to serve all of the individuals of our nice metropolis.”
A Savanta ballot additionally instructed that Mr Khan would be the runaway winner when votes are counted on Saturday placing him within the lead on 42 per cent to Ms Corridor’s 32 per cent with Mr Cox in fifth place on 3 per cent.
For the primary time because the London mayor place was created, the winner shall be determined by first previous the put up which implies they don’t want greater than 50 per cent to be declared because the winner. Beforehand, if no candidate secured 50 per cent plus one there could be a runoff between the highest two candidates.
A Conservative supply near Ms Corridor dismissed Mr Macleod-Cullinane’s assist for the present London mayor saying: “Have you ever learn his Twitter profile?”
Mr Macleod-Cullinane describes himself as “a part of the ‘Remainer institutional thoughts virus’, [who] aspires to affix the ‘woke blob’”.