A row over the way the Conservatives selected their London mayoral candidate has broken out as former Government minister Paul Scully insisted he would have been best-placed to defeat Sadiq Khan.
Mr Scully, who was Minister for London at the time he was unexpectedly excluded from the shortlist of mayoral candidates, gave only lukewarm support to Susan Hall, who will contest the May 2 election for the Tories.
He warned the party that it must not “gift” victory to Labour mayor Mr Khan, who is seeking a third term of office.
Asked if he believed he would have been a better candidate than Ms Hall, he said: “I put myself up because I’m the best candidate. I can’t rail back from that – it would be hypocritical of me to say otherwise.
“But we do have to have a really good fight in May rather than giving Sadiq Khan a free run.”
He added: “It’s because it is a big job that I felt I was the best candidate…. I think we are missing a trick.”
In an interview with ITV’s The Late Debate, to be screened on Thursday night, Mr Scully insisted he planned to stand again as an MP, despite speculation that he may quit his Sutton and Cheam constituency.
Asked about being blocked from becoming the Tory candidate last summer, he said: “It was more frustration. It was not angry for me – it was not a personal thing. I care about London.”
Asked why he thought he had been blocked, he said: “I think there were some people over-thinking about it, and they wanted someone more remote from Government”.
Tory officials chose a shortlist of Ms Hall, Daniel Korski and Moz Hossain KC – with Ms Hall being selected last July after Mr Korski withdrew after being hit by allegations of inappropriate behaviour while a Downing Street aide, which he denies.
Mr Scully said the Tory selection panel had had “failed to remember” that City Hall had a £20 billion annual budget and that “you can’t just bring someone in that doesn’t know anything about governance at a local, national or regional level, because it is a big job”.
This appears to be a reference to Mr Hossain, a criminal barrister who made it onto the shortlist despite having no previous political experience.
Mr Scully was subsequently sacked from his jobs as Minster for London and digital minister last November. At the time, he took to social media to say he had been hit by the “Spanish archer” – “El Bow”.
Mr Scully said he had spoken to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak about the need to mount a strong challenge to Mr Khan.
“We have got to put the best showing up in May rather than just gifting another four years to a failing mayor,” he said.
Mr Scully’s parliamentary seat was previously held by the Lib-Dems and is expected to be a target in the General Election.
He retained the seat with an 8,351 majority in 2019. Asked if would stand again, he said: “I’m fighting… I have still got a hospital to build.
“We have still got a new hospital in the south of Sutton, that’s probably the last thing I want to get done in Sutton. That is still unfinished business. I’m confident I can put up a good show and win the seat.”
