200 Tories clamour for Portillo seat

More than 200 Tory hopefuls are clamouring for a seat in the party heartland of Kensington and Chelsea, it has emerged.

They are keen to follow in the footsteps of MPs Alan Clark and Michael Portillo. Kensington and Chelsea has long been seen as a seat where flagging Conservatives can relaunch their careers.

But party insiders say there may be a move to pick a contender in his or her thirties, and from outside professional politics.

Those tipped include Westminster council deputy leader Kit Malthouse, Cable and Wireless executive Elizabeth Truss, and City fund manager Jacob Rees-Mogg.