Liberal Democrats select Rob Blackie as London Mayoral candidate for 2024

EMBARGO: Immediate Release

The Liberal Democrats have unveiled Londoner Rob Blackie as their candidate for the 2024 London Mayoral Election.

Rob grew up in Pimlico and now lives near Brixton in South London and runs his own business as an adviser to start-up tech companies. His campaign will focus on tackling crime, keeping London welcoming for European citizens and others who are threatened by Home Office incompetence, and cleaning up London’s rivers.

Sadiq Khan has failed to focus on reforming the Met and cutting crime in his seven years as Mayor. Conviction rates for rape and other serious sexual offences are woefully low, while resources are wasted on lower level offences. 

Rob has been a life-long Lib Dem who served as Charles Kennedy's Director of Research during the Iraq War. Since then he has been the London Assembly candidate for Lambeth and Southwark in 2012 and a Londonwide list candidate in 2016 and 2021.

In other work, Rob founded the Breaking Putin's Censorship campaign, which uses digital advertising to get independent news about the war in Ukraine to people in Russia. So far more than 400 million ads have now been shown and the campaign recently won The Drum’s Best Digital Campaign award.

Commenting on his selection, Rob Blackie said:

“It is an absolute honour to have been selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for London Mayor. London needs a liberalchallenger to the Mayor - who has been a disappointment to many Londoners.

“Khan has failed to tackle rape, sexual offences and other serious crimes over the last seven years and Labour are committed to the worst possible priorities for the police - arresting people for laughing gas rather than spending time on serious crimes.

“The Conservatives are discredited nationally by their cost of living failures and in London they’ve all but given up.

“For far too long people in London have been let down by Labour and the Conservative plan for London shows that they are not serious about tackling our city’s problems."

Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member, Caroline Pidgeon AM said:

“Rob will be a fantastic candidate for the London Mayoral election. Rob is a true Londoner who will fight for all communities across London. 

“Sadiq Khan has taken his eye off the ball when it comes to keeping Londoners safe. The Met Police is in special measures and in London last year there were over 37,000 burglaries reported and yet for one in three, the police didn't even bother to turn up to investigate.

“The Conservatives have given up on London and are out of touch with a liberal London. 

“Rob and the Liberal Democrats will offer the progressive alternative to Labour’s shortcomings whether that is on crime, the environment or London’s economy.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Rob Blackie’s website.

Rob is 50 years old, grew up in Pimlico and has been living in the Brixton area for over 20 years. In his spare time he enjoys martial arts, watching the deer with his family in Richmond Park, cycling along the canal in Camden and shopping in Brixton market.