The former foreign secretary has told Kemi Badenoch he will leave her front bench.
Sir James Cleverly has said he is quitting the shadow cabinet to stand for London mayor.
The former foreign secretary and Braintree MP said the capital needed “a champion, someone who understands its potential and is prepared to fight for its future”.
Speculation has rumbled for months that Sir James, who has held the shadow housing, communities and local government brief since last July, was considering a bid to run City Hall.
Labour mayor Sir Sadiq Khan is halfway through his third term and has not confirmed whether he will stand again in May 2028.
In an op-ed for the Sunday Times, Sir James said he had told Tory leader Kemi Badenoch he would leave her front bench.
“Serving there has been a privilege, and I know there will continue to be strong voices around that table,” he said.
“But to run the most effective campaign possible, I must be free to speak about every aspect of London’s future and concentrate fully on winning this race.”
