UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Reform UK has announced Westminster councillor Laila Cunningham as its candidate for the 2028 London mayoral election.
At a press conference, Cunningham and the party’s leader, Nigel Farage, were encircled by posters that said,” London needs Reform.”
The councillor, who left the rightists last time, blamed Sir Sadiq Khan, the Labour mayor of London, and claimed to have a” different communication” for Londoners.
“There will be a new sheriff in town, and I’ll be launching an all-out war on crime,”
she said.
Farage stated that Cunningham will also serve as the leader of the party’s crusade in advance of this May’s original choices, although the capital will not have a new mayor until 2028.
In advance of the upcoming general election, the Reform leader called it the “single most significant” electoral test.
Cunningham stated at the press conference that
“tackling knife crime, drugs, robbery, shoplifting, rape”
will be her top priority for the Metropolitan Police.
The Westminster councillor declared that she will give the Met “new marching orders” to “tackle crime that matters” and revise the London police and crime plan.
If she were elected mayor of London, the candidate stated that she would likewise do away with the ultra-low emission zone (Ulez).
Responding to the announcement, a source close to London’s mayor said:
“Sadiq is getting on with the job of delivering a fairer, safer, greener city for every Londoner.
Sadiq has delivered 100 million free school meals for state primary schools kids in the capital, helping families with the cost of living.
The number of homicides in London are at a record low, he’s built a record number of council homes, and Sadiq’s policies have cut harmful air pollution in the capital by 27%.”
Liberal Democrat London spokesperson, Luke Taylor MP, said:
“From its history, to its culture, to its people, London is the greatest city in the world, but all Reform seems to do is talk it down.
Cunningham and Farage care more about sowing division than they do about solving the actual problems that Londoners face.
The Liberal Democrats will stand up for the millions of Londoners who love this city and its values and ensure London is a better place for everyone.”
Therefore, Reform has announced their candidate ahead of schedule for an election that is still two and a half years away.
The 2028 election is being billed as “Khan v. Cunningham,” although it’s actually unclear if Sir Sadiq Khan would seek reelection for a fourth term in government.
However, they have outlined what they consider to be the primary battlefield: crime.
It is unusual to announce a candidacy so early; two and a half years is an eternity if a week is considered a long time in politics.
It will provide Reform with a face to spearhead their campaign for this May’s London elections, which will be critical to gauging how effectively their message resonates in the city. However, a lot can change during that period for everyone involved.
Out of the approximately 1,800 councillors in London, just one has been elected by the party thus far; six others, including Laila Cunningham, have defected to them.
However, many analysts believe they have a genuine prospect of gaining control of one or more outside London boroughs this time.
How has Cunningham’s defection to Reform UK affected her support?
Laila Cunningham’s dereliction from the rightists to Reform UK in June 2025 has boosted her profile and support among Reform’s base, while drawing counterreaction from her former party and some original choosers, centralizing her standing in Westminster’s Lancaster Gate ward.
Media appearances post-defection, including on GB News and TalkTV, showcased her examens of Tory” dysfunction” and Labour’s justice programs, earning praise as a” new star” for Reform; her selection as the 2028 London mayoral seeker signals strong internal backing from Nigel Farage and party leadership.
Conservatives indicted her of absenteeism and called her exit a” death curl” symptom, with leader Paul Swaddle covenanting to elect” true rightists” for her ward; Labour stressed right- sect drift, though no formal suspense followed her public abdication.