By Jessica Frank-Keyes
London’s deputy mayor for business, Rajesh Agrawal, has quit City Hall to run as a Labour MP, it has been confirmed.
Agrawal was appointed to the job in May 2016 and also acted as chairman of London & Partners, the capital’s business growth and destination agency.
He has now been selected to stand as Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Leicester East. It comes as London mayor Sadiq Khan prepares to stand for a record third term in May next year.
Khan said: “It has been a privilege to work alongside Rajesh as he played a leading role in delivering some of the most important achievements of this administration.
“From the six-fold increase in Londoners receiving the London Living Wage to securing billions of pounds in inward investment and creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs.”
The mayor added that Agrawal’s achievements were “against a backdrop of Brexit, botched government trade negotiations, the pandemic and now the cost-of-living crisis”.
He stressed: “The fact London has come through these challenges in a stronger economic position than the rest of the UK speaks volumes about our city and the role Rajesh played.”
Agrawal said his role had been “an honour and a privilege” and highlighted the “economic and political uncertainty caused by Brexit, loss of lives and livelihoods caused by the pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis and its effect on business”.
He added: “Against these adversities, I am proud of the accomplishments we have achieved together and the progress we have made in fostering a vibrant business environment in the city. London remains one of the very best cities in the world in which to do business.”
The Indian-origin entrepreneur, who led trade missions, including to India, posted on X, formerly Twitter, after his selection on November 19: “It’s time to use this auspicious moment to reset Leicester East, with a Labour MP who’ll deliver for everyone who lives here.”
Today (Monday, November 27) marks his final day in the role, and Khan will now begin a recruitment process to appoint Agrawal’s successor, a City Hall spokesperson said.
The City Hall Conservative group have been approached for comment.
