Andrew Boff, the chair of the London Assembly, has resigned from the Conservative Party after 53 years of membership, citing a fundamental disagreement over the UK's membership of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). Mr Boff, who was first elected to the Assembly in 2008, had only recently launched his seventh bid to become the Conservative candidate for the London Mayoral election. His resignation follows a row with the party leadership over his support for remaining in the ECHR, a stance that directly contradicts the national party's position. Mr Boff insisted he had "not abandoned my Conservative principles" but believed "the party has abandoned some of its own." He added: "I will not surrender those principles in order to remain a member of any political party."
Leadership's ECHR stance triggers departure
Last year, party leader Kemi Badenoch stated that anyone wishing to stand as a Conservative candidate at the next election must support her plan to withdraw from the ECHR. This policy position has now cost the party one of its most veteran London figures. Mr Boff will now serve as an independent London-wide member of the Assembly. He is understood to remain eligible for his position as chair of the Assembly, a role he was elected to for the third time in May.
Calls for resignation from fellow Tories
The reaction from within the City Hall Conservatives was mixed. Assembly Member Emma Best, the Deputy Leader of the City Hall Conservatives, called on Mr Boff to step down from the Assembly. In a late-night social media post, she said: "Stand down from the Assembly for integrity’s sake. Like me, Andrew’s a list member. That means Londoners didn’t vote for us, they literally voted ‘Conservative’. Let the next Conservative on the list step up." However, the City Hall Conservatives were quick to clarify that this was not the official position of the group.
Party group backs national leadership
Leader of the City Hall Conservatives, Susan Hall, praised Mr Boff's contribution to the party but insisted the group stands by the national leadership's position on leaving the ECHR. Following his resignation, the Conservatives are now reduced to six members on the 25-strong Assembly, though they remain the main opposition. The political response from other parties on the Assembly was largely sympathetic to Mr Boff. The City Hall Labour group said he "deserves credit for standing by his principles," adding: "When a Conservative of 53 years leaves for supporting the European Convention on Human Rights, it shows how far from the mainstream Kemi Badenoch’s party has shifted."
Lib Dems and Reform UK react
Liberal Democrat leader on the London Assembly, Hina Bokhari, expressed "enormous respect" for Mr Boff as a "man of principle", stating: "A Conservative Party that can't accommodate lifelong Tories like him isn't worthy of its name. It's now just a second-rate Reform tribute act." Richmond Park MP Sarah Olney, the frontrunner for the Liberal Democrat candidacy in the 2028 London Mayoral election, commented: "The Tories have lost a decent man and a powerful voice for London. Yet again, Badenoch’s Conservatives are happy to chase Reform UK and exclude tolerant, liberal Londoners." In contrast, a Reform UK spokesperson suggested Mr Boff was too liberal for a centre-right party, stating: "Andrew Boff is a left-wing laughing stock. The fact he has spent 50 years as a Tory tells us all we need to know about them as a party, especially in London where they are divided beyond recognition."
Mr Boff has a history of rebelling against his own party, most notably heckling former Home Secretary Suella Braverman at the annual conference in 2023. He was contacted for further comment following the resignation.
