Nigel Farage's Reform UK has become the first party to announce its candidate for the 2028 London Mayoral election, setting the stage for a major political battle in the capital.
Cunningham's Pledge: A "War on Crime" and Scrapping ULEZ
At a press conference in London Bridge, Nigel Farage confirmed Westminster Councillor Laila Cunningham as the party's choice to take on the incumbent, Sir Sadiq Khan. The announcement comes almost 27 months before the election, signalling Reform UK's intent to make a serious play for City Hall.
Ms Cunningham, who has previously been labelled a "vigilante mum" for pursuing muggers who targeted her children, placed public safety at the heart of her campaign. She declared she would be a "new sheriff in town" and wage an "all-out war on crime".
She pledged to set clear priorities for the Metropolitan Police, focusing on knife crime, drugs, robberies, shoplifting, and rape. She specifically vowed to task the Met with "targeting, hunting, and prosecuting rape gangs in London", stating there would be "nowhere for them to hide".
In a direct attack on the current Mayor, she said: "Londoners need to know that the state of law and order in our city is his fault. He is in charge." She also questioned the visibility of the capital's 32,000 police officers, asking: "I don't know where the hell they are, why they're not on our streets."
Transport and Environment: Axing ULEZ and Automating the Tube
A central pillar of Ms Cunningham's platform is ending what she termed the "war on motorists". She confirmed she would scrap the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) entirely, criticising it for punishing working people, carers, and small business owners. A decision on the future of the Congestion Charge Zone has not yet been made.
On London's transport network, the Reform candidate took aim at frequent industrial action, stating she was "sick and tired of London being run by TfL unions". She proposed a controversial solution: automating the London Underground to prevent future strikes.
"I would love to automate the Tube," she said, citing the economic cost of disruption. However, the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union dismissed the plan, stating that upgrading just three lines could cost around £20 billion and would not be safe. The union warned any move towards driverless trains would be met with "mass industrial action over a sustained period".
Reform's Confidence: Framing 2028 as a "Binary Choice"
Despite Reform UK's candidate, Howard Cox, receiving only 3.2% of the vote in the 2024 Mayoral election, the party is now buoyed by strong national polling. Both Mr Farage and Ms Cunningham framed the 2028 contest as a direct two-horse race between themselves and Sir Sadiq Khan, arguing the Conservatives are no longer a credible alternative.
"Most Londoners have given up on the Tories, they're not even a part of the conversation," Ms Cunningham claimed. "This Mayoral election will be a binary choice. Khan vs Cunningham." Mr Farage added that Sir Sadiq was beatable in the previous two elections but blamed the Conservatives for failing to properly support their candidates.
In response, a source close to the Mayor defended his record, highlighting the delivery of free school meals, record low homicide rates, increased council home building, and a 27% reduction in harmful air pollution. They framed the coming election as a choice between "leadership with Labour that believes in London" and a Reform party that "talks the city down".
Liberal Democrat London spokesman, Luke Taylor MP, also criticised Reform, accusing them of sowing division and "talking down" London instead of solving its problems.
