The race to become the Reform UK candidate for Mayor of London has been broken open after a former frontrunner announced his decision to run independently.
Ant Middleton, a British television personality and ex-UK Special Forces soldier, was thought to have favoured standing as the Reform candidate in 2028 after being seen as close to party leader Nigel Farage.
Last year Mr Middleton endorsed Reform UK during a speech at the party’s conference and visited Washington DC with Mr Farage for the Presidential inauguration in January.
However, the former host of SAS: Who Dares Wins has confirmed he will no longer seek the Reform UK nomination.
In a social media post, he said he is still a “big supporter” of Mr Farage and that the decision was based on his “instinct”.
Mr Middleton added: “I want to directly represent the people of our capital city and nation by demonstrating that I won’t be politically suede (sic) or influenced and that my priorities and loyalties lie with you the people.
“Drastic change is needed and our people need to be heard and prioritised. I want to serve and represent you with my British values, patriotism, my experience, expertise and knowledge in safety and security and in re-establishing British culture and or very own identity, BRITISH IDENTITY!
“When it comes to leadership, work ethic, business acumen, teamwork, unity, trust, change, safety and security, British pride, values and principles then you need look no further! I want to be your Mayor of London!”
The Reform UK leadership had been under pressure to respond to calls to drop Mr Middleton after he said first, second and third generation immigrations should not hold “top tier government positions” in Britain.
In a further social media post on Saturday (August 9), Mr Middleton said he wanted to “clear up a few rumours”, and that he had not “fallen out with Reform”. But he appeared to keep the possibility of running under a party banner open, saying: “I can confirm that I will be running for Mayor of London and that I will be doing it independently (as it stands).”
Who will lead Reform’s bid for Mayor of London?
According to The Spectator, who spoke to a source within Reform, Westminster City Councillor Laila Cunningham, who defected from the Conservative Party in June, is now the favoured candidate. She has already been entrusted with leading the political attacks on the current Mayor of London, with her past legal experience providing a platform for criticism on crime.
On Monday Ms Cunningham, who formerly served as a prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), joined Mr Farage and other figures at the launch of the party’s summer campaign on crime.
She has also produced several social media clips for the official Reform UK account talking about “lawless London” in recent weeks.
One Reform UK figure told The Spectator that Ms Cunningham is a “moderate Muslim mother who can communicate very effectively and talks sense” and that “she could win” in 2028.
The party is likely to fight the 2028 London Mayoral race with a focus on law and order.
Former Apprentice candidate Thomas Skinner and heavyweight boxer Derek Chisora have also been tipped for a run at the candidacy. Olympic Boxing Gold Medallist Luke Campbell won the Hull and East Yorkshire Mayoralty in May, becoming the party’s first directly-elected Mayor.
There are currently six Reform UK councillors in London, with Alan Cook becoming the first directly-elected official in the capital last month after winning the Bromley Common and Holwood by-election.
In last year’s Mayoral Election, Reform UK won 78,865 votes, which was 3.1 per cent of the total. Their 145,409 votes on the London-wide list earned Alex Wilson, their lead candidate, a seat on the London Assembly.
Reform UK and Councillor Cunningham were contacted for comment.
Looking for more from MyLondon? Subscribe to our daily newsletters here for the latest and greatest updates from across London.
