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Tory MP Zac Goldsmith officially joined the race to be Mayor of London today after a ballot of his west London constituents backed his ambition to run by a margin of four to one.

His entry blew the contest wide open, with bookmakers Paddy Power immediately installing him as 2-1 favourite to become Mayor.

Mr Goldsmith vowed to be a “strong campaigning Mayor” in the mould of ally Boris Johnson, and to oppose Heathrow’s third runway plans. His rivals branded him a “posh kid” who had little experience of the problems faced by Londoners over housing and public transport.

“I will work tirelessly to repay my constituents’ loyalty and to gain the trust of Londoners,” Mr Goldsmith declared. His campaign kicked into life minutes after the count ended in a unique ballot of 77,071 residents in the Richmond Park constituency, which cost at least £50,000 to stage.

The answer to the question “Do you give consent to Zac Goldsmith to stand for election to be Mayor of London?” was emphatic. Some 15,802 people voted Yes, to 3,569 who voted no — 79 per cent to 18 per cent. There were 503 “don’t knows” and 16 spoiled papers.

“I am hugely grateful to the residents of Richmond Park and North Kingston for taking part in the ballot, and am overwhelmed by the mandate they have given me to run for Mayor,” said Mr Goldsmith.

“Boris has shown what a strong, campaigning Mayor can achieve for the whole of London. He has secured investment, created jobs, made our streets safer and much more.

“On his watch, London has become the world’s greatest city with all the benefits that brings. We need to continue to build on that progress, making sure London works for all Londoners.”

Giving a first indication of his policy priorities, he went on: “That means bearing down on unsustainable rents and helping more Londoners own their own home; continuing to improve and grow our transport system to cut delays and deliver value for money for commuters, promoting a healthier living environment for London families.”

He vowed to “stand up to government” when he disagreed with ministers and to “work tirelessly to repay my constituents’ loyalty”.

Mr Goldsmith is widely seen as frontrunner in the contest to choose an official Conservative candidate. And Downing Street strategists believe that he is the only figure with a high enough profile to beat Labour in the 2016 mayoral contest.

But rivals said Mr Goldsmith, the son of the late billionaire financier James Goldsmith, was too far removed from ordinary people to be Mayor.

Rival Conservative hopeful Ivan Massow teased: “A lot of Tories are in love with Zac — and who wouldn’t be? He’s rich, blond-haired and blue-eyed.

“But I believe my story of coming from nowhere and making it on my own terms will resonate with a London that is tired of seeing jobs, from acting to the City, go to posh kids.

“There’s an appetite for a Boris Mk II — but it doesn’t have to be a blond Etonian.”

Labour runner David Lammy said: “Zac’s a nice guy. But has he shown he can walk with ordinary people, understand what it is like to be delayed by the Tube, or what it means to struggle on the minimum wage, or how to run a small business? I’m not sure he has demonstrated he has that ability. But I’m glad he is joining the race, so bring it on!”

Liberal Democrat hopeful Caroline Pidgeon mocked Mr Goldsmith’s “glossy exterior”. She said: “I don’t think he has shown a wide range of interests about London. What about housing, or policing?

“Once you get beyond the glossy exterior, what depth is there about how you tackle London’s biggest issues?”