Ivan Massow releases self-deprecating video to launch his mayoral campaign

Entrepreneur turned potential Conservative mayoral candidate for London Ivan Massow has revealed that he is a recovering alcoholic.

In an animated video introducing himself and officially kicking off his bid to become London mayor, Massow states that he is gay, dyslexic and has struggled with alcoholism.

The entrepreneur, who is said to be worth around £5m, also describes himself as “a businessman, and activist and a doer”.

Massow’s business career has spanned his own company Massow Financial Services, which he set up in 1990, and starting business Pay Me My in 2011. He has also held a directorship at Allied Dunbar.

Away from business he is a committed activist for gay rights and a patron of the arts. In 1999 he took up the chair at the Institute of Contemporary Arts.

He first announced his intention to run in November 2014 and has since styled himself as a “rags to riches” candidate who is outside of the political elite and dislikes the way mainstream politics is conducted.

Massow faces stiff competition for the Conservative mayoral candidacy. Former Arsenal and Spurs footballer Sol Campbell has expressed his desire to run – along with deputy mayor Stephen Greenhalgh and London Assembly member Andrew Boff.