LONDON: Gay Businessman Launches 2016 Mayoral Campaign With Animated Video
The Tory-supporting businessman Ivan Massow has launched his bid to become the next mayor of London with a candid YouTube video in which he introduces himself as “gay, ex-alcoholic and dyslexic”. Massow, 47, said the 70-second pop art-style animated video gave an “honest warts-and-all” portrayal of him. Brighton-born Massow has lived in the capital for 25 years and in the 1990s briefly shared a Mayfair home with the now senior Tories Michael Gove and Nicholas Boles. He joined his local Young Conservatives and became chairman aged 14, left school with one O-level, and set up Massow Financial Services, which grew to be valued at more than £20m. He became chairman of the Institute of Contemporary Arts, but was sacked in 2002. A year later, his business venture folded. He has previously said he stopped drinking after an intervention by Joan Collins when he stayed at the actor’s St-Tropez villa.
Labels: 2016 elections, Britain, gay politicians, London
