‘Daft not to consider it’: James Cleverly refuses to deny ambitious change after Tory local election rout

Sir James Cleverly has refused to rule out “going on a chicken run” from his Essex seat after the Tories suffered bruising local election results.

Speaking to GB News’s Camilla Tominey, the Shadow Housing Secretary was pressed on his ambitions away from his Braintree seat in Essex.

Nigel Farage’s Reform UK ran rampant in the former Conservative stronghold, prompting Camilla to ask Sir James if he was now planning an escape route.

“Are you going to Chicken Run to become the Tory candidate for mayor of London?”

“The London mayoralty is incredibly important, and it would be daft for any serious politician not to give it consideration,” the top Tory responded.

“But I love being MP for Braintree. I want to get Essex back into conservative control. I want to get Kemi into No10. That's what I'm focused on.”

“Not denying it. Not ruling it out. Okay. We've noted that James Cleverly, thank you very, very much indeed,” Camilla returned.

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