In less than a year Londoners will elect the successor to Boris Johnson, but who will be the Tory candidate? I suspect the candidate will someone with a high profile, and the ideal choice, would be Lord Coe, but it is believed his future is focussed upon the IOC, so who then?

Zac Goldsmith is the current favourite, but the value in him has gone now. One of the reasons, I’m no longer backing any current Tory MP is given the slimness of the Tory majority in the House of Commons, David Cameron and CCHQ will not be wanting to do anything that triggers a by-election, so that rules out any Tory MP, such as Boris’ former Deputy Mayor for policing, Kit Malthouse.

Sol Campbell is another contender, football fans can be pretty tribal and it feels like that no fan of Tottenham Hotspur will ever vote for Sol Campbell, even if he promised every Spurs fan a million pounds, as they consider his Bosman transfer from their side to their rivals Arsenal, as the most shocking act of betrayal since Brutus thought Julius Caesar was a good place to store a dagger.

But at 25/1 he might worth a small punt, as he has been high profile in the Tory election campaign where he went campaigning for Tory candidates in key marginals like Croydon Central. 

However the recently ennobled Karren Brady might be the best option at 10/1, she meets matches the high profile criteria, has had a successful career in business and for someone wanting to move into politics is an accomplished media performer, though like Sol Campbell, her current football occupation as Vice-Chairwoman of West Ham, might be a bar for some, but she should be fine on that front.

Given the way Boris Johnson used the role to become the favourite to succeed David Cameron, some might see it as a route to being Tory leader this a role that should attract a few more high profile contenders.

The full odds are available here

TSE