London mayoral election 2016: Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith and Labour candidate Sadiq Khan confirm they will step down as MPs if elected
Conservative mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith and his Labour rival Sadiq Khan have both confirmed that they won't be following in current London mayor Boris Johnson's footsteps – at least when it comes to having both an office in City Hall and the House of Commons.
Both Goldsmith and Khan said today that they intend to step down as an MP if elected mayor in May.
In a live debate on LBC Radio this morning, Goldsmith, who has been the MP for Richmond Park since 2010, said he would "step down immediately".
"You can’t do both jobs for a significant period of time," Goldsmith added.
Johnson was elected as the MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip in last May's General Election. His predecessor, Ken Livingstone, stayed on as the MP for Brent East for just over one year after he was elected as the first mayor of London in 2000.
Khan also replied "yes" when asked if he would step down as the MP for Tooting.
A campaign spokesperson told Morning Wire that Khan, if elected, would leave the Commons "as soon as possible, consistent with this being in the best interests of his Tooting electorate".
Khan's plans to step down mark a departure for the Tooting MP, who reportedly told members of his local party last June that he intended to stay on as an MP until 2020 even if he were elected mayor.