Zac Goldsmith: 'I'll focus on mayoral race not campaigning for Brexit'

Pledge: Zac Goldsmith said he has 'a job to do'
Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire
Pippa Crerar24 February 2016
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Zac Goldsmith has pledged not to campaign for Brexit but to focus “full time” on the mayoral race instead.

The Tory candidate, who will vote to leave the European Union, said he had “a job to do” persuading Londoners of the choice they faced.

He told a hustings on housing that the “real risk” to businesses in the capital was not its position in Europe but being “left behind” if Sadiq Khan makes it to City Hall.

His Labour rival, however, said he would campaign alongside David Cameron, George Osborne and other senior figures to make sure London remained “an integral” part of the EU after the June 23 poll — but failed to mention his own leader Jeremy Corbyn in the line-up.

Mr Goldsmith told the audience at the LandAid debate: “I can absolutely commit to you that I will not be campaigning for Brexit because I have a job to do. My job is to ensure that London has a clear understanding of the choice we face in May.

“A choice between a mayor who will protect Boris Johnson’s success and make it work for Londoners across the board, or a mayor who will preside over four years of utter chaos.

“A stand-off between City Hall and Government, four years of gridlock, inaction, squabbling and blame — in my view a disaster for London.”

The Tory MP admitted the capital faced “risks” in coming months, but added: “It is not staying in Europe or coming out of Europe — though both of those possibilities are risky.

Mr Goldsmith dismissed Remain claims that leaving th EU would put Britain’s security at risk. “The idea that we would just close our shutters and cease sharing information is extraordinary,” he said.

He stressed that business in London “does not speak with one voice” — as many of the capital’s small firms oppose EU red tape while some larger ones have said uncertainty is more damaging than either final outcome.

“The next mayor’s job will be to take whatever decision is made by the British people just a few weeks after the election and make that decision work for London,” he said.

“We are a big global city... we will flourish, whether we stay in or whether we come out.”

Earlier this week, Mr Goldsmith admitted it would be “easier for me to quietly U-turn” away from long-held Euroscepticism, as opinion in London was “at best divided” on the issue, but that he had not got into politics to “flip flop” on every issue.

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