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The Reform UK candidate for Mayor of London has said the "uniparty are fighting for survival" after a former Labour Mayor urged voters to back the Conservatives in Hillingdon.
It comes after a Conservative campaign leaflet signed by David Bond, the former Labour Mayor of Ealing, was sent to homes in Hillingdon urging residents to vote Tory to stop Reform. David Bond was Mayor between 2000 and 2001.
In the letter he says: "Reform are polling strongly in parts of the country. They are targeting councils like ours.
"And while they may not yet have deep local roots here, a surge in support could have real consequences… Right now the local Conservatives are the only organised team capable of preventing a Reform breakthrough and giving Farage the platform he wants to take over the country.
"This election is not about sending a message. It is about preventing an outcome."
Laila Cunningham, a Westminster City councillor, took to social media sharing photos of the letter. She said: "The uniparty fighting for survival.
"A former Labour mayor telling people in Hillingdon to vote Conservative… to stop Reform. They're not even pretending anymore. Two parties. One self-serving cartel."
In January, a leading pollster and Tory peer Lord Hayward said Reform is focusing on "natural targets" for the party in Outer London, including Bexley, Bromley, Havering, and to a lesser extent Hillingdon.
A spokesperson for Hillingdon Conservative told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): "We're pleased that someone with David's experience in local government, including his time as the Labour Mayor of Ealing, has chosen to support us at this election. He understands many people who have traditionally supported Labour are concerned about the rise of Reform, and that only Hillingdon Conservatives are in a position to stop them making inroads in the borough.
"As for Reform, the irony isn't lost on us. Only months ago, their mayoral candidate was actively working to stop Reform herself as a Conservative councillor."
Laila Cunningham, a former Conservative councillor in the City of Westminster, defected to Reform UK in June 2025. She first stood for the party in 2018 before being elected in 2022.
A Hillingdon Labour spokesperson said: "If the Conservatives have to rely on someone who was a Labour Mayor in a different borough 25 years ago - that tells people all they need to know about the quality of their campaign. Whilst they hang on to ancient history to remember when they were relevant - Labour is focusing on delivering a better future for Hillingdon."
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