Anti-Trump former Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy is allegedly planning to run for London Mayor if current Mayor Sadiq Khan stands down.
| PULSE POINTS |
|
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Anti-Trump Labour Member of Parliament (MP) David Lammy is reportedly floating a run for London Mayor.
📺 DETAIL: On Thursday, it was reported that David Lammy, the former Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary under former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, is considering a run for London Mayor. This follows reports earlier this month that Lammy could seek the Labour Party nomination if the incumbent, Sadiq Khan, stands down before the next mayoral election. Lammy allegedly hosted a SME4Labour (Small and Medium Enterprises for Labour) fundraising dinner on Wednesday night as a testing ground for a future mayoral bid. However, when pressed on the purpose of the event, Lammy claimed that the funds would go towards defending his Tottenham seat at the next general election. The former Deputy Prime Minister did not officially rule out running. “I am not sure he can even count on support from his local party in Tottenham for his future ambitions in London,” said a Labour Party source. Lammy is known for his extreme opposition to President Donald J. Trump. Lammy has characterized the U.S. President as a “neo-Nazi sympathizing sociopath” and a “racist KKK and Nazi sympathizer.” He has also referred to the MAGA movement as a “cult of white supremacists.”
🎯 IMPACT: If Lammy decides to run, this will be his second run for London Mayor, having first sought to become the Labour candidate for the 2016 mayoral election. Lammy ultimately lost the nomination to Khan and placed fourth. In the event that Khan does stand down and Lammy manages to get the Labour nomination, there is a good chance that he will be elected as the next Mayor of London in 2028. This could further drive a wedge between the British capital and the U.S. President, who has repeatedly criticized Khan’s leadership.
📺 FLASHBACK: Prime Minister Andy Burnham endorsed Khan for a historic fourth term as London Mayor earlier this month. This is despite the fact that the vast majority of Londoners want him to resign. Specifically, according to a recent poll by YouGov, 56 percent of Londoners believe that Khan should step down as Mayor, including 31 percent of Londoners who voted for him in 2024. “He’s a disaster. He’s got a totally different ideology to what he’s supposed to have,” said President Trump regarding the Mayor last year.
|
Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.