Rumours are circulating that Boris Johnson - hoping to fight for the Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat for the Conservatives at next year's general election - might just be snatched away from borough folk in an effort to go up against Tory defector Douglas Carswell.
The MP for Clacton quit his Conservative seat yesterday (Thursday, August 28) and announced he was defecting to UKIP because he wanted to see "fundamental change in British politics" forcing a by-election.
Mr Carswell is popular in Clacton and has said many of his local members will defect with him and easily win him the seat for UKIP.
Such a predicted blow to the Tory party has left many to speculate that David Cameron would want one of his "star-players on the pitch" in Clacton in order to keep the seat Conservative.
Conservative Party sources say about 100 people have applied for the Uxbridge and South Ruislip candidacy.
According to The Times, one of those people is Hillingdon Council deputy leader David Simmonds - Conservative councillor for Ickenham and cabinet member for education.
He is currently on leave in China and could not be contacted by getwestlondon, but would be a strong competitor as a candidate for the borough's Tory safe seat against Boris.
So is Mr Johnson about to be taken from Uxbridge and South Ruislip to go up against Douglas Carswell?
Well, the bookies aren't holding out much hope.
Ladbrokes is offering odds of 33/1 that Mr Johnson will face up to Mr Carswell in a bid to beat 1/4 favourites UKIP.
And sources in the Conservative party say speculation that Mr Johnson might switch his candidacy to Clacton was possibly misguided.
"It may be that Uxbridge is selected before Clacton [by-election] is called," said the source.
