I’m a celebrity, get me to City Hall! Our stars should take a pop at local politics
With Sadiq Khan faring quite badly, and the Tory brand rubbished in London, perhaps a celebrity should give City Hall a shot and run for the London Mayoralty next year, writes John Oxley
While much of the country goes to the polls today, Londoners will have to wait another year to have their say. The ebb and flow of electoral cycles leaves London without local elections, looking on as the city counts down until next year’s GLA and Mayoral poll.
The latter already feels like a foregone conclusion. While nearly half of Londoners think Sadiq Khan is faring badly in the role, the Tory brand has plummeted in the capital with a recent poll putting them on just 18 per cent. If the Conservatives are to stand a chance in the capital, they’ll need a candidate whose personal popularity can overcome this. It’s hardly surprising that rumours are circulating that they are on the search for a celebrity.
As they look to add some sparkle to the campaign, names like barrister-turned presenter Rob Rinder or West Ham Vice Chair and Tory peer Karen Brady have been thrown in the mix. It remains to be seen if any big names are interested, or if they have the skills to deliver an effective campaign and a competent mayoralty beyond that – but it does highlight the opportunities that can come from looking beyond politics for a candidate.
The London mayoralty offers a unique opportunity for the politically curious outsider. It has the biggest popular mandate of any role in British politics, and comes with a high profile, arguably global, presence that would take years of greasy pole climbing to reach in parliament. Equally, it is perhaps easier to win from the outside than many races due to the constant news coverage the race will get. Yet, despite that the race has not appealed to any dark horses so far.
Each of the three London Mayors so far have been lifelong politicos. All have served in the House of Commons before coming to City Hall – though Livingstone did win his first campaign as an independent. So far, the declared Tory candidates largely fit this mould too with backgrounds as GLA members, government advisors and councillors. The mayoralty has served to boost the brands of the incumbents, rather than pulling outsiders into public service.
There’s no good reason for this. In the United States, mayoral contests are known for the variety of people they pull in, often with great success. Mayors from outside of politics have proven popular and effective, from figure skater and business owner Hillary Schieve in Reno to soft drinks magnate Gregory Fischer, who drove a data-led approach to policy in his tenure in Louisville. Perhaps most famous of all is Mike Bloomberg, the multi-billionaire who served two terms as mayor of New York.
Closer to home, Andy Street stands out as an example, leaving his role as MD of John Lewis to become Mayor of the West Midlands. He is now in his second term and is widely recognised as one of the success stories of the past few years for the Tory Party. Clearly, finding the right candidate from outside of the usual sources can pay dividends for parties.
It seems unlikely the party’s celebrity flirtation will amount to much. In 2016 footballer Sol Campbell’s bid to be Tory candidate petered out and it is unlikely many outsiders would like to saddle themselves with the party’s London reputation now. The mayoralty may, however, remain tempting for someone with the cash and the brand, yet little political experience, to target.
Instead of trying his hand at embarrassing travel documentaries, Danny Dyer, the Eastenders star, could be travelling around the capital. He has both the story of being a working class Londoner, and the star power. He could even take a leaf out of Rory Stewart’s book and offer to sleep on people’s sofa, who would say no to that?
Whether endorsed by a major party, or running their own campaign, there are famous names and business leaders who might fancy a tilt at mayor sometime. With Sadiq Khan struggling, and the Tory brand rubbished, 2024 might not be the worst year to try it.