Steve Norris to run for London Mayor

Steve Norris, the former transport minister, will formally announce his campaign to become the Conservative Party's candidate for Mayor of London tomorrow.

Mr Norris, who came second in the mayoral election in 2000, will make a centrepiece of his candidacy the claim he is the only politician who can beat Ken Livingstone in 2004.

In a deliberately low-key move, the former MP will not hold a press conference or photocall but will instead issue a short statement announcing his intentions.

Mr Norris told The Independent: "I will campaign very hard on the basis that the party should pick a winner. I did very well last time and I am the candidate with the experience and policies to win.

"The campaign will be based on a very simple proposition, which is that the Tory party should know what the rest of London knows – that there is only one person who is going to beat Ken Livingstone. The party can play games but I don't think they will be that daft."

The Tories will select two candidates from a shortlist of five in January, with the names going forward to a ballot of all London members ending on 18 February.Richard Ottaway, MP for Croydon South, will launch his campaign today. Other hopefuls are Nikki Page and Brian Coleman.