PRITI Patel has thrown her weight behind a former No10 aide’s insurgency campaign to be London Mayor.
Samuel Kasumu’s bid for City Hall was motoring last night as he won praise from ex-Home Secretary, current Energy Secretary Grant Shapps, and Tory Minister Steve Baker.
Former Home Secretary Priti Patel has praised a Tory’s bid to be London Mayor
Samuel Kasumu is standing to be the Tory’s London Mayor candidate
Previously Boris Johnson’s communities guru, he claims to have been the most “senior black adviser in government” before quitting in 2021.
In a resignation letter – later retracted – he blasted the then PM for pursuing a “politics steeped in division” and said minority voters were less likely to choose the party.
And now he has launched an outside shot at taking Sadiq Khan’s job by seeking to secure the Conservative nomination.
He is standing on a promise to scrap the Mayor’s controversial ULEZ emissions tax if Londoners oppose it in a referendum.
Tory bosses are desperate to field someone who can beat the Labour incumbent when Londoners next go to the polls in 2024.
Trending In The News on Sunday revealed this week they want a “star” candidate, with celebrity judge Rob Rinder being lined up.
But Mr Kasumu’s campaign has been boosted by the three Tory big-hitters supporting him – although Ms Patel and Mr Shapps stopped short of a fully-blown endorsement.
Ms Patel said: “Samuel is authentic, hardworking, and has a deep commitment to improving the lives of London’s citizens and bringing communities from across our great City together.
“For the forthcoming London mayoral elections, the Conservative Party needs to select a candidate that can reach all parts of the capital, and Samuel’s track record in being able to deliver is clear.”
She hailed his work on the Windrush scandal and helping deploy the Covid vaccine.
Cabinet Minister Mr Shapps hailed Mr Kasumu as a “hardworking councillor” and “dedicated campaigner”.
And Northern Ireland Minister Mr Baker said he was “a man we can be proud of”.
