Zac Goldsmith is in the race to be the Tory candidate for Mayor of London. After announcing his intention to seek the nomination last week, Goldsmith balloted his constituents in Richmond Park for their permission: 79 per cent of those who responded said he should run, while 18 per cent said no. Although the turnout was just under 26 per cent, it’s still a victory for Goldsmith’s brand of direct democracy. In response to his local referendum, Goldsmith said he’d work ‘tirelessly to repay my constituents’ loyalty’:
‘I am hugely grateful to the residents of Richmond Park and North Kingston for taking part in the ballot, and am overwhelmed by the mandate they have given me to run for Mayor.’
Now that he’s officially running, Goldsmith is the favourite to win the mayoral race. According to Ladbrokes, the latest odds are:
- Zac Goldsmith (Con), MP for Richmond and former editor of the Ecologist magazine: 2/1
- Tessa Jowell (Lab), former Olympics minister and shadow minister for London: 5/2
- Sadiq Khan (Lab), MP for Tooting and shadow minister for London: 10/3
- David Lammy (Lab), MP for Tottenham and former Business minister: 12/1
Goldsmith is unsurprisingly also the favourite to win the Tory nomination.
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