Rory Stewart to run as independent London mayor candidate after quitting Tories

Rory Stewart is going to stand as an independent candidate to be Mayor of London, he has announced.

It comes after the MP for Penrith and The Border said that it was "with sadness" he was to stand down at the next general election and had quit the Conservative Party.

Mr Stewart tweeted: "It's been a great privilege to serve Penrith and The Border for the last ten years, so it is with sadness that I am announcing that I will be standing down at the next election, and that I have also resigned from the Conservative Party."

Following his announcement, Mr Stewart's former Cabinet colleague, Amber Rudd, tweeted:

"What a loss to politics. An outstanding MP & Minister. One of the strongest speakers in Parliament. Principled, patient, thoughtful. I feel certain he'll be back."

Robert Craig, president of the Penrith and The Border Conservative Association, said Rory Stewart may not have resigned if he had not had the whip removed by Boris Johnson.

Mr Craig told the PA news agency: "It's a great shame and it is not unexpected given he is still out in the wilderness with the whip removed.

"I suppose had that changed... it seems to have become clear that that wasn't going to change and he has other ambitions."

Asked if Mr Stewart would not have taken the decision if the PM had not withdrawn the whip, Mr Craig replied: "Possibly."

He said that Mr Stewart told him of the decision about two weeks ago.

I am running as an Independent candidate for Mayor of London, and here’s why.

Please join me in my campaign: https://t.co/8y3xWpl9hY#Rory4London pic.twitter.com/jnaNy8IF0s

— Rory Stewart (@RoryStewartUK) October 4, 2019

But he said he did not try and convince Mr Stewart to stay in the post and instead "congratulated" him on his next venture.

The 2020 mayoral election will pit him against Labour incumbent Sadiq Khan and Conservative candidate Shaun Bailey, who was backed by Mr Johnson in his Tory conference speech on Wednesday.

Mr Stewart warned of the danger of Brexit to the capital and said he wanted to combat “extremism” in British politics as London mayor.

“I’m leaving that Gothic shouting chamber of Westminster, I’m getting away from a politics which makes me sometimes feel as though (US President Donald) Trump has never left London,” he said.

- Press Association