I have championed conservatism in our capital for over 40 years.
From working for Boris Johnson in the Mayor’s office for Policing and Crime, to being a Councillor in Redbridge for 15 years and the Leader for 6 of those years.
I am currently the Leader of the Conservative Group in Havering and for the last 7 years have served as the Assembly Member for Havering & Redbridge.
What I can tell you is we have never been in a position like what we are facing today in London. We have a record low of 21 members of parliament in the city and have lost control of our flagship councils of Barnet, Wandsworth, and Westminster.
Since 2016, London has been led by Sadiq Khan. In that time, crime has spiralled out of control and trust in our police force is at an all-time low.
Since 2016, London has been led by Sadiq Khan. In that time, crime has spiralled out of control and trust in our police force is at an all-time low. Add to this Khan’s much opposed proposed expansion of the ULEZ, combined with the housing crisis in London– and you are left with quite a depressing picture.
We simply cannot allow Sadiq Khan to continue for another term. A Conservative mayor will be key to any revival for our party in London, bringing much needed momentum ahead of the general election. Winning the London mayoralty in May 2024 is now mission critical, not just for us as a party but also for the people living in this great city. We must be very sober about the fact that even with Sadiq Khan’s failures, for the Conservatives to win next year we will have to find a candidate that can appeal to voters that have deserted us in recent local elections and appeal to people who may have never given us a chance in the past.
We need a candidate that is uniquely positioned in the sense that they have the political experience but are not weighed down by the need to defend 13 years of government. Someone who can reach millennials that are currently wondering why they should ever give Conservatives a chance. That is why we need Samuel Kasumu. I believe he is best positioned to give us a historic victory if he is adopted as our mayoral candidate for several reasons.
Firstly, Samuel has a story that many Londoners will be able to relate to. He embodies the entrepreneurial spirit, the political know-how, and the passion for his community that a mayor needs. He was a former senior special adviser to Boris Johnson, has been a district councillor and cabinet member, and is an entrepreneur. He has the experience yet somehow still feels like a new entrant.
Secondly, He is viewed by many people as a role model that can be a bridge between the Metropolitan Police and the communities that they serve. As my friend Shaun Bailey AM said, “London is caught in a crime wave, and Sadiq Khan is to blame“. Knife crime is out of control, fraud is more present than ever and trust in our police has been completely eroded. We need someone that gets London and can tackle the crime epidemic and that is Samuel. He has worked with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and has a crime plan that is comprehensive and goes further than Sadiq Khan’s current plastering over major cracks.
We need someone that gets London and can tackle the crime epidemic and that is Samuel. He has worked with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and has a crime plan that is comprehensive and goes further than Sadiq Khan’s current plastering over major cracks.
Thirdly, we need a candidate that can both hold onto all of the votes that Shaun Bailey won in the last mayoral contest and build on it. People often forget that Shaun lost by just over 100,000 in a city of 9 million people. In our current field of excellent candidates Samuel is objectively the most likely person to do this. His science is engaging different audiences for a common cause. That is what he did working on deploying the covid-19 vaccines and that is what he will do as our candidate.
Finally, and most importantly, Samuel is a Conservative. We may not be perfectly aligned politically, but what is clear to me is he is someone that is genuine. I have been inspired by his work rate and determination since this campaign has started and am looking forward to others learning about what makes Samuel so special.
We need to win next year. Those who were waiting for a celebrity candidate to lead the Conservatives must now accept that the calvary isn’t coming. We need to pick the person that will give us the best chance of winning. That person is Samuel Kasumu.
Keith Prince AM, is the Leader of the Conservative Group in Havering and for the last 7 years have served as the London Assembly Member for Havering & Redbridge. Keith has championed conservatism in our capital for over 40 years. From working for Boris Johnson in the Mayor’s office for Policing and Crime, to being a Councillor in Redbridge for 15 years and the Leader for 6 of those years. Follow Keith on Twitter by clicking here.
Photo credit: Samuel Kasumu Twitter
Good luck Keith, but the first thing you need to do is to get Samuel off the fence when it comes to the ULEZ extension. We don’t need a referendum – we just need it stopped.