James Cracknell has been handed a leading role with the Conservatives in his home town of Chiswick as he seeks to revive his aspirations to enter parliament.

The double Olympic champion is the the new deputy chairman political of the Brentford & Isleworth Conservative Association.

The father-of-three, who struck gold in the coxless fours at the 2000 and 2004 Games, has made no secret of his political ambitions.

He stood unsuccessfully as a Conservative candidate in the 2014 European Parliament election, was an early front runner in the race to replace Kensington MP Malcolm Rifkind and later failed in his bid to represent the party in the 2015 general election.

James Cracknell previously stood as a Conservative candidate in the 2014 European election

His new position could be a stepping stone towards standing for the Tories at the next general election in Brentford & Isleworth, where former Conservative MP Mary Macleod lost her seat to Labour's Ruth Cadbury last year.

Or his local work for the party's local branch could give him a leg-up in his efforts to be selected as a parliamentary candidate elsewhere in the country.

'We are determined to win this parliamentary seat back'

Speaking after his new role was announced on Friday (April 22), he said: "We are determined to win this parliamentary seat back for the Conservatives and to take Hounslow Council back under Conservative leadership.

"And in the meantime, we will hold the new Labour MP to account; Labour's Ruth Cadbury has already reduced the number of surgeries by half, unlike the previous Conservative MP who held weekly surgeries."

Mr Cracknell's latest appointment is part of a shake-up in the local Tory association, with marketing guru Julian Tanner installed as chairman, accountant Ranjit Gill as treasurer and Westminster political assistant Lakshmi Kaul as deputy chairman for fundraising and membership.

James Cracknell and his wife Beverley

Mr Tanner said there was a lot of goodwill "across the political spectrum" for Ms Macleod, who was narrowly ousted, and the seat was eminently winnable for the Conservatives.

He refused to rule out either Ms Macleod or Mr Cracknell standing for the seat at the 2020 general election but said it was early days, especially with a redrawing of the constituency boundaries looming in 2017.

"I'm sure James's track record of having contributed to the local party would stand him in good stead should he seek selection as a Conservative candidate in future," he added.

getwestlondon reported last year how Mr Cracknell and his son had saved a pensioner and his grandson from drowning in a daring seaside rescue.