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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Zac Goldsmith chosen as Conservative London mayoral candidate | Zac Goldsmith chosen as Conservative London mayoral candidate |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Zac Goldsmith will contest the 2016 London mayoral election for the Conservatives, it has been announced. | Zac Goldsmith will contest the 2016 London mayoral election for the Conservatives, it has been announced. |
| The Richmond Park and North Kingston MP said he was "honoured" after winning 70% of the 9,227 votes cast using an online primary system. | The Richmond Park and North Kingston MP said he was "honoured" after winning 70% of the 9,227 votes cast using an online primary system. |
| He beat London Assembly Member Andrew Boff, MEP Syed Kamall and London's deputy mayor for crime and policing Stephen Greenhalgh. | He beat London Assembly Member Andrew Boff, MEP Syed Kamall and London's deputy mayor for crime and policing Stephen Greenhalgh. |
| Mr Goldsmith's main rival is likely to be Labour's Sadiq Khan. | Mr Goldsmith's main rival is likely to be Labour's Sadiq Khan. |
| Mr Khan beat former cabinet minister Tessa Jowell and a number of other current MPs to win the Labour nomination last month. | Mr Khan beat former cabinet minister Tessa Jowell and a number of other current MPs to win the Labour nomination last month. |
| Caroline Pidgeon is the Lib Dem candidate, Sian Berry will contest the election for the Greens and UKIP has chosen its culture spokesman Peter Whittle. Former Respect MP George Galloway is also running. | Caroline Pidgeon is the Lib Dem candidate, Sian Berry will contest the election for the Greens and UKIP has chosen its culture spokesman Peter Whittle. Former Respect MP George Galloway is also running. |
| Mr Goldsmith, who was the favourite for the Tory nomination, balloted his constituents earlier this year to seek permission to stand. | Mr Goldsmith, who was the favourite for the Tory nomination, balloted his constituents earlier this year to seek permission to stand. |
| Analysis by Tim Donovan, BBC London political editor | Analysis by Tim Donovan, BBC London political editor |
| At the very point of his entry into the race for London mayor, Zac Goldsmith's decision revealed two big characteristics. | At the very point of his entry into the race for London mayor, Zac Goldsmith's decision revealed two big characteristics. |
| Only a politician with an acute sense of accountability would have sought permission to stand through a ballot of his constituency members in Richmond and North Kingston. | Only a politician with an acute sense of accountability would have sought permission to stand through a ballot of his constituency members in Richmond and North Kingston. |
| Only someone with his personal wealth would have been able to afford the estimated £60,000 cost of doing it. | Only someone with his personal wealth would have been able to afford the estimated £60,000 cost of doing it. |
| Both characteristics could come to feature heavily in the months to come. | Both characteristics could come to feature heavily in the months to come. |
| Read the whole article | Read the whole article |
| He won Friday's vote comfortably, getting 6,514 votes, more than the other three candidates combined. | He won Friday's vote comfortably, getting 6,514 votes, more than the other three candidates combined. |
| Syed Kamall came second with 1,477 votes ahead of Stephen Greenhalgh (864) and Andrew Boff (372). | Syed Kamall came second with 1,477 votes ahead of Stephen Greenhalgh (864) and Andrew Boff (372). |
| Mr Goldsmith - who first entered Parliament in 2010 - told BBC London 94.9 he it was a "huge result" giving him a "big mandate". | |
| "It's going to be a struggle, it's going to be difficult" against a "reinvigorated" Labour Party he predicted, adding: "We need our party to pull together and this is the first step in that process." | |
| Zac Goldsmith | |
| He said he would be prepared to defy his party line if necessary, adding: "You need to be willing and able at all times to go to bat for the people you represent and if that puts you against your party from time to time, you have got to do that." | |
| Mr Goldsmith, who like Mr Khan opposes a new runway at Heathrow airport, has promised more transport investment to prevent London "grinding to a halt" and pledged to "protect, enhance and improve access" to green spaces. | |
| He added: "But the biggest challenge of all is the housing crisis. Londoners are being priced out of their city and we will need a step change in the number of homes built, and the manner in which they are built." | He added: "But the biggest challenge of all is the housing crisis. Londoners are being priced out of their city and we will need a step change in the number of homes built, and the manner in which they are built." |
| Current mayor Boris Johnson will step down next year after two terms in office. He is also currently the MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, having been returned to Parliament in May. | |
| Some Conservatives have called for an inquiry into the mayoral election process after only 9,227 people voted - compared with a 87,884 turnout for the Labour contest. | |
| In an attempt to open up the contest to people who weren't Conservative members, anyone on the electoral roll was able register to vote for £1. | |
| But one of the campaign teams told the BBC earlier this month the process "looked chaotic". |