Laila Cunningham

Laila Cunningham is a British politician, former prosecutor and Reform UK figure who has been selected as the party's candidate for Mayor of London at the 2028 election.

Born in London to Egyptian parents, Cunningham grew up in the capital and later worked in law, including as a prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service. She has frequently drawn on that legal and criminal-justice background when speaking about policing, public safety and crime in London.

Cunningham entered elected politics as a Conservative and won a seat on Westminster City Council in 2022, representing Lancaster Gate. She left the Conservatives and joined Reform UK in June 2025, saying she wanted to campaign for lower taxes, tighter immigration controls and what she described as putting Britain first.

She subsequently became one of Reform UK's most prominent figures in the capital and has served as Reform UK London Chair. In January 2026, Nigel Farage announced Cunningham as Reform UK's candidate for the next London mayoral election, scheduled for 2028.

Her campaign has focused heavily on crime, policing, housing, taxation, transport and opposition to policies associated with the current City Hall administration. Reform has also used her profile to argue that it can expand beyond its traditional areas of support and compete more strongly in London.

Cunningham has continued to take part in national political debate as a senior London representative of Reform UK, including media appearances and interventions on immigration, crime and the direction of the party.