Goldsmith gets go-ahead from voters to run for London Mayor
Zac Goldsmith has officially joined the race for City Hall after voters in his constituency voted overwhelmingly in favour of him running to replace Boris Johnson.
Goldsmith, who has been an MP for Richmond Park since 2010, announced his intention to run last week, but said that he would only throw his hat into the ring after balloting constituents for their approval. The voting closed on Monday, and nearly four out of five respondents said that Goldsmith should run for Mayor.
Responding to the results, Goldsmith said yesterday that he would work “tirelessly to repay [his] 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,” he said.
The bookmakers place Goldsmith as the front-runner in a crowded field which includes former Olympics minister Tessa Jowell and former transport minister Sadiq Khan for Labour and London MEP Syed Kamall for the Tories, among others. Ladbrokes said yesterday that Goldsmith is the favourite for both the Conservative nomination, with 1-8 odds, and the election overall, at odds of 2-1.