Zac Goldsmith: Conservative London mayoral candidate admits huge challenge to beat Labour in 2016

Conservative London mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith admits he faces a huge challenge to beat Labour rival Sadiq Khan and become mayor of London but he believes delivering a positive message is needed if he is to replace incumbent Boris Johnson in 2016.

The Richmond Park and North Kingston MP was selected as the Tory mayoral candidate after winning 70% of the vote in an online primary election, beating Conservative rivals Andrew Boff, a London Assembly member, MEP Syed Kamall, and Londons deputy mayor for crime and policing Stephen Greenhalgh.

Speaking to ITN after the selection was announced, the 40-year-old admitted that despite victory in the 2015 general election, the Conservatives needed to put in a lot of work in order to retain the capital.

Its going to be a huge challenge, Goldsmith said. If you look at the results of the last election in London, the general election, we start considerably behind Labour. So weve got a lot of work to do. Weve got to mobilise our base, weve got to get as many people as enthused as possible by this campaign and weve got to get out and about and celebrate a positive message to Londoners.

Goldsmiths main rival will be Labours candidate Sadiq Khan. The Tooting MP and former shadow justice secretary was selected after 87,884 voted in the partys primary. His appointment came during the same elections that saw Jeremy Corbyn appointed Labour leader and Goldsmith recognised a surge in party members meant Labour had a very active base going into the mayoral election in 2016.

I dont fear the challenge because I dont think theres a positive message there, but I recognise that they have a candidate [Sadiq Khan] whos very good at mobilising people, he said.

Theres been a Corbyn surge, which has led to many more people joining the party [Labour]. People who are willing to get out and about, knock on doors, put leaflets through peoples doors, whether its raining or sunny and that is a serious factor. So Im not afraid but I recognise that Labour is capable of putting out real resistance in that.

Caroline Pidgeon has been selected as Liberal Democrat candidate, Sian Berry will contest the mayoralty for the Greens, while Ukips candidate is culture spokesman Peter Whittle. Current London mayor Boris Johnson will step down in 2016 after two terms in office.