Former criminal prosecutor to run for London mayor

LocalPolitics
8 Jan 2026 • 1:45 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • Nigel Farage has announced Laila Cunningham as Reform UK’s candidate for the London mayoral election in 2028.
  • Ms Cunningham, a former criminal prosecutor and Westminster City councillor, defected from the Conservatives to Reform UK in June last year.
  • Mr Farage said she will be the figurehead for the party’s campaign in London ahead of May’s elections, which he views as a significant electoral test.
  • Her key policy pledges include launching an “all-out war on crime” and scrapping the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (Ulez).
  • Ms Cunningham left her role at the Crown Prosecution Service after making politically charged comments upon joining Reform UK, potentially breaching impartiality rules.

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