Cleverly has resigned from the shadow cabinet to launch a run for London mayor, setting out an ambition for City Hall well ahead of the next scheduled election.
The move means Cleverly is leaving the opposition front bench in order to focus on a mayoral bid in the capital. The supplied information does not give further details about the timing of the resignation, the campaign plans or any replacement in the shadow cabinet.
London is not currently due to elect a new mayor until 2028, meaning the decision comes at an early stage in the political timetable for the capital.
The departure is significant because it takes a senior opposition figure out of the shadow cabinet and links their next political objective to London’s mayoralty rather than a front-bench parliamentary role.
The latest position is that Cleverly has stepped down from the shadow cabinet and intends to run for mayor, with the election still not scheduled to take place until 2028.
