Hampshire-born former Special Forces soldier and television personality Ant Middleton has announced his intention to run for Mayor of London, delivering a fiery speech at the Unite The Kingdom rally that left supporters buzzing with energy and British pride.
“Wow, the energy, the British pride is absolutely off the scale,” Middleton told the crowd gathered near Big Ben. “When it comes to the backbone of this country, I’m looking at it right now.” Addressing thousands of supporters, Middleton introduced himself as “your future mayor of London,” making clear his ambitions for the 2028 mayoral race.
Middleton’s speech was heavy on themes of national identity and cultural heritage. “I walk through London on multiple occasions and what I see in London, I see British culture, but I don’t feel it. I haven’t felt it for years,” he said. “However, today, walking past Big Ben, looking at you lot, I felt that British pride, British culture at the very forefront because of you lot. It’s because of us British patriots that I felt British culture come alive today in London more than I have in a very, very long time.”
He warned against what he described as an erosion of traditional British values, urging the crowd not to “let the establishment eradicate our British culture.” Middleton argued that British culture is rooted in “our rich history,” and “with our British culture, it’s Christianity. We are a Christian country. We adhere to Christian values, principles, and morals. And you don’t have to be religious to know that they’re just right.”
Middleton’s remarks struck a defiant tone on the topic of multiculturalism. “We are not, and I will say this again, we are not a multicultural country; we are a British cultured country,” he declared. He insisted that those who come to the UK should integrate under what he called the “British cultured umbrella,” based on Christian values.
Recalling his own childhood, Middleton lamented the loss of traditions in schools. “Who remembers back at school when you sat down in assembly, you got your hymn book out, you started singing off the hymn book? I didn’t know what I was singing about, but I knew it was establishing that British identity in us. That’s very important. That’s been taken out of our schools. Christmas—we can’t even celebrate Christmas nowadays without offending someone. Christmas is our Christian values, morals, and identity. Celebrate it with pride.”
Middleton formally declared his intention to stand as an independent in the 2028 mayoral election. “I will be running independently for you. Not for any political party, but for the people. I will be your voice. I will be there to action stuff. I will be there to keep you safe,” he said. Drawing on his military background, he promised to make London “one of the safest cities in the world” during his first term.
He was sharply critical of what he described as the politicisation of the mayoral office and the police. “The Mayor of London position was never meant to be a political position; it has been politicised. That’s why I’m running independent. I will take politics out of our police force. Our police force has been compromised and is being used as a political tool. I will stop that straight away.”
Middleton also issued a stern message to those he regards as failing to respect British culture. “If you are here illegally, you will be forced out. If you are hostile against our way of life, against our British culture, we will force you out. And we will start in the very core, the crown jewel of England.”
As his speech drew to a close, Middleton called for unity and support: “Today marks a monumental day. When everyone comes together—British pride, British culture in the heart of our England, in the heart of our capital—it is phenomenal. I’m feeling it, and you guys honestly have reinstalled my faith in what a backbone is, because it’s right in front of me.”
He finished with a rallying cry: “I will be running independently. I need your support. But remember, we’re here to fight for our country, to fight for our capital, and to fight for one another. Never ever forget that. London, you’re amazing, British patriots! I fucking love you.”
Middleton’s announcement sets the stage for a fiercely contested 2028 mayoral campaign, with his message likely to energise supporters and provoke debate across the capital.
