Former Sun editor David Yelland was forced to correct a social media post about Conservative mayoral hopeful Sir James Cleverly after confusing him with Kwasi Kwarteng, Liz Truss’s former chancellor.
Yelland had described Sir James as “Liz Truss’ Brexit Chancellor” while commenting on the Braintree MP’s decision to leave the Conservative front bench and seek the party’s nomination for Mayor of London in 2028.
Sir James, who is black, responded pointedly: “David, I’m the other black one.”
Yelland subsequently amended his post, writing: “James Cleverly was Liz Truss’ Brexit Foreign Secretary not Brexit Chancellor – many apologies – was wrong in earlier post.”
He added that he still believed Sir James’s criticism of Prime Minister Andy Burnham was aimed at generating “pointless right-wing headlines”, although he acknowledged that the Conservative may prove him wrong on that point too.
Sir James announced on Saturday, August 29, that he would leave Tory leader Kemi Badenoch’s shadow cabinet to concentrate on his campaign for City Hall. He had been shadow housing, communities and local government secretary since July last year.
In a statement explaining his decision, he said London needed “more than an administrator” and argued that the capital’s reputation had slipped while problems were allowed to worsen.
The former foreign secretary and home secretary still needs to secure the Conservative nomination. Labour’s Sir Sadiq Khan, who has been Mayor of London since 2016, has not confirmed whether he will seek a fourth term in 2028.
Sir James grew up in London and previously served on the London Assembly. He has said he wants to run a “classically Conservative” campaign focused on enterprise and opportunity.
