{
  "id": 7706828,
  "title": "If Conservatives can win in Enfield then James Cleverly can be Mayor of London",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/if-conservatives-can-win-in-enfield-then-james-cleverly-can-be-mayor",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-16T04:31:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "City AM",
    "slug": "city-am",
    "url": "https://www.cityam.com/if-conservatives-can-win-in-enfield-then-james-cleverly-can-be-mayor-of-london/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Conservatives have long believed that London is a lost cause, but a recent victory in Enfield has disproven that notion. Alessandro Georgiou, the Labour leader of Enfield Council, says it's time to back James Cleverly for Mayor of London. Labour held Enfield for 16 years until the 7th of May in 2021, when they claimed victory, securing 31 seats to Labour's 27. Georgiou's victory isn't meant to boast, but to demonstrate that London Conservatives have been told their city is doomed for decades. That the demographics and arithmetic make it impossible for them to succeed. In Enfield, Georgiou tested that theory and found it to be false. Georgiou listened to residents and acted on their concerns. People were tired of the failed low traffic neighborhoods, so Georgiou promised action. They were frustrated with the dying high streets, so Georgiou pledged 30 minutes of free parking and stronger trading standards enforcement. Residents were tired of fly-tipping and rubbish on their streets, so Georgiou committed to bringing back weekly bin and recycling collections. Georgiou has observed Labour's failure on a larger scale since he was sent to the Assembly two years ago. Under Labour's leadership, businesses are treated as an inconvenience rather than an asset. Georgiou believes that businesses need a Mayor who is willing to fight for them when they are treated as an inconvenience. Georgiou understands that confidence matters to businesses. Businesses need reasons to expand here and not just acknowledge their difficulties. Cleverly's experience is crucial in this regard. He has served on the London Assembly from 2008 to 2016 and chaired the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority. Cleverly has also run the Foreign Office and the Home Office, two of Whitehall's least forgiving departments. His recent shadow housing brief concerned the issue of affordable housing for young Londoners. The Mayor must understand where their powers begin and end, and persuade government to act where necessary. The Mayor who succeeds should have the experience to go out and compete for business and international standing only if it produces investment and opportunities at home. Georgiou is declaring early because he believes that an early, disciplined, and specific campaign can achieve results. Enfield was not won in the final three weeks, but across four years of turning up, saying plainly what they would do, and then being held to it. Georgiou's campaign in Enfield proves that it is possible to undermine the assumption that defeat is inevitable.",
  "summary": "Conservatives have long been told that London is write-off, but victory in Enfield has proved naysayers wrong. Now we must throw ourselves behind Hames Cleverly for Mayor, says Alessandro Georgiou Labour had run Enfield for 16 years when voters went to the polls on 7 May. By the end of the next day’s count, we [...]",
  "key_points": [
    "Conservatives believed London was a lost cause.",
    "Alessandro Georgiou's victory in Enfield disproves this notion.",
    "Georgiou's campaign shows London Conservatives can succeed."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}