UKIP is the only party with a gay candidate for Mayor of London
Out Tory Andrew Boff has lost out in his bid to be the Conservative candidate for Mayor of London.
Mr Boff, Leader of the London Assembly Conservative Group, was in the running for the nomination to succeed Boris Johnson in 2016.
However, it was confirmed today that Tory MP Zac Goldsmith will run for Mayor, after a landslide victory in a Tory primary.
Mr Boff came last of four candidates with 372 votes, while Mr Goldsmith received 6,514 votes.
The candidate released a rather succinct statement on Twitter.
The news means that of the major parties, the only one fielding an LGBT candidate is the UK Independence Party – after the party selected Peter Whittle to run last week.
The party’s culture spokesperson Peter Whittle pipped a number of other candidates to the role, including Suzanne Evans – the party’s de facto leader for three days during Nigel Farage’s brief resignation.
Peter Whittle said previously: “I’m thrilled and honoured to have been chosen as UKIP Mayoral candidate for London, along with our excellent team of [London Assembly] candidates!”
The candidate will have an uphill battle, however – UKIP garnered just two percent of the vote in the 2012 Mayoral election.
Out comedian Sandi Toksvig has joked she may stand for the newly-formed Women’s Equality Party, however – joking earlier this year: “Well I couldn’t be worse than Boris, although I’m just as blonde.”
Out Liberal Democrat Lord Paddick ran for Mayor in 2008 and 2012, but the party has selected Caroline Pidgeon to run next year.
