Harold Hill resident Shaun Bailey has been elected as the Conservative Party’s candidate to face Mayor of London Sadiq Khan in the city’s 2020 mayoral election, it has been announced today (Friday, September 28).

London Assembly member Mr Bailey beat Andrew Boff and Joy Morrissey. The ballot was overseen and administered by the ERS Group.

Shaun Bailey, who was a special advisor on youth and crime to former Tory prime minister David Cameron, said: “It is a great honour to be selected as the Conservative Party’s candidate for the 2020 London mayoral election.

“For someone who grew up in a council house in one of the poorest parts of London, securing this nomination is proof that our city truly is the place where anything is possible.

“London has given me so much. That’s why I’ve spent my entire adult life trying to repay its generosity, either through my twenty plus years of youth work helping to steer children away from a life of crime and towards work opportunities, or my current involvement on the London Assembly, where I have done my best to hold the current mayor to account.”

The party’s membership elected Mr Bailey with 43.2pc of the first round of voting, and was announced as the candidate after a second round.

Brandon Lewis, Conservative Party Chairman said: “I’m delighted Shaun Bailey has been elected as our candidate. He is passionate about London and has the ideas London needs to continue to be the best capital city in the world.”

Romford MP Andrew Rosindell had previously announced his intention to run for the Conservative candidacy, but was not named on the final candidate shortlist.

Responding to Mr Bailey’s selection, Labour’s MP for Battersea Marsha De Cordova said: “The Tories in London never change.

“They have selected a candidate who as a Downing Street Special Adviser helped to implement £1 billion of cuts to the Metropolitan Police and cut millions from London’s youth services.”

She added: “London deserves so much better than this.”