Sir James Cleverly has launched a campaign for the London mayoralty, accusing Prime Minister Andy Burnham of pursuing a "war on London" through his approach to devolution. The former foreign and home secretary criticized Burnham’s efforts, which he described as a move to centralize power in Manchester—Burnham’s former mayoral jurisdiction—at the expense of the capital.

Cleverly, who has served as the Conservative shadow secretary for housing, communities, and local government since July 2025, confirmed on Saturday that he would step down from the Tory frontbench to focus on the mayoral race. He also announced he will not seek re-election as the Member of Parliament for Braintree in the next general election.

Speaking to LBC, Cleverly accused Burnham of being "very, very anti-London," citing the prime minister’s actions, including recent decisions to reduce funding by hundreds of millions of pounds from London councils. Cleverly pledged to "fight London’s corner" if elected, positioning himself as a defender of the city against what he views as neglect under Burnham’s administration.

Burnham, who is halfway through his third term as London mayor, has yet to confirm whether he intends to run for re-election in May 2028. His devolution proposals, which aim to give more powers and resources to regional authorities, have been a source of debate within political circles, with tensions emerging between different metropolitan areas over resource allocation.

Cleverly indicated that Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch was supportive of his decision to leave the shadow cabinet and pursue the mayoralty. His campaign will be run from the backbenches, as he prepares to challenge the Labour incumbent and address concerns over London’s governance and funding amid ongoing political shifts at the national level.