Negative Tory campaign lost mayoral race - Scully

A former Conservative minister has said his party has "got to do better" in London after their defeat in the mayoral contest.

Sadiq Khan beat his Tory rival Susan Hall by more than 276,000 votes - representing a swing of 3.2% to Labour.

Paul Scully, who ran to be his party's mayoral candidate last year, criticised Ms Hall's campaign as being "negative" and showing "no aspiration" for the capital.

Ms Hall has said running for mayor had been an "honour and a privilege".

Overall Mr Khan won 1,088,225 votes, comfortably beating Ms Hall who secured 812,397 votes.

The Liberal Democrats edged the Green Party to third place, while Reform UK's candidate Howard Cox finished fifth with 3.2% of the overall vote.

Labour also remains the largest party on the Greater London Assembly, maintaining its 11 members while the Conservatives lost a seat with eight members this time around.

The Greens and Lib Dems remain unchanged with three and two seats respectively while Reform UK gained their seat.

Assembly members were sworn in for the new mandate on Sunday.

Mr Scully, the MP for Sutton and Cheam, told Politics London: “I thought I was the best candidate a year ago and I still think that now.

“More importantly, this is about London.

"This is why I’m furious about the last few months from my party because we just showed a disrespect for Londoners."

Mr Scully said his party should “come up with a job description” of what criteria was needed to be met when selecting a mayoral candidate.

“Our campaign was negative. It showed no aspiration for what is an aspirational city," he added.

“You can’t just sit there and moan from the sidelines about the incumbent,” he said. “You’ve got to have solutions.”

After the results were announced, Ms Hall said she would "continue to hold Sadiq to account, for hard-working families, motorists and women.

"I urge Sadiq to make London better for all our sakes," she added.

Ms Hall remains as a member of the London assembly.

Lib Dem candidate Rob Blackie told BBC London after the declaration: "We've increased our vote everywhere in London and [are pleased] to have got into third place for the first time in a long time."

Zoë Garbett, the Green Party candidate, said she had been "squeezed" by Labour's pledges on the environment and new electoral rules removing second preference voting.

Only 70 votes seperated the Greens and Lib Dems in the final tally.

Steve Reed, Labour's shadow environment secretary, said Mr Khan increasing his majority in a third election was "remarkable".

“[Khan] did it by making a very positive pitch to Londoners about what he would do in a third term," he said.

The Croydon North MP said the Conservatives were "out of touch with London and Londoners".

Mr Scully denied Tory members in the capital were out of touch and instead laid the "blame fairly at the central party organisation".

"Members are as equally puzzled and as frustrated as I am with this process because they do reflect modern London,” he added.

The Conservative Party and Ms Hall's campaign declined to comment.

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