Zac Goldsmith officially announces he will run to be the Conservative candidate for Mayor of London
Zac Goldsmith, the Conservative MP, has officially announced he will run to become his party’s candidate for Mayor of London.
The MP for Richmond Park held a consultation with his constituents, in which they could vote on whether he could run for the position, before making an official announcement.
Some 79 per cent, or 15,802, of his constituents said he should stand. 3,569 constituents said he should not enter the contest.
I'm hugely grateful to my constituents for backing my run for Mayor. Please join my campaign: http://t.co/eg1zISIrhb
— Zac Goldsmith (@ZacGoldsmith) June 23, 2015
Turnout, however, was only 25.8 per cent, with Goldsmith receiving 19,890 votes back from 77,071 ballot papers sent out.
The environmentally friendly campaigner and opponent of a third runway at Heathrow is now favourite to win the bid to become the Mayor of London.
Goldsmith said,
I am hugely grateful to the residents of Richmond Park and North Kingston for taking part in the ballot, and am overwhelmed by the mandate they have given me to run for mayor
He also added that he will work tirelessly to repay the faith of the people of “Richmond Park and North Kingston, who have backed my run for Mayor – and to gain the trust of all Londoners.”
BOOKIES ODDS
The favourites for Mayor of London are:
- Zac Goldsmith: 2/1
- Tessa Jowell: 5/2
- Sadiq Kahn: 3/1
- David Lammy: 11/1
- Syed Kamall and Chuka Umunna: 25/1