Chiswick resident may run for safe Conservative seat in Kensington

James Cracknell is being tipped to win the nomination for a safe Conservative seat in Kensington as Sir Malcolm Rifkind announces he will not stand in the forthcoming election.

Sir Malcolm is standing down as head of the Commons Intelligence and Security committee following the 'cash for access' scandal and he says he will not run as MP for Kensington and Chelsea in May.

James Cracknell and Beverley Turner

Olympic gold medallist James Cracknell, who lives in Chiswick, has been interested in a career in politics for some time, but lost out to London Mayor Boris Johnson for nomination to Uxbridge and South Ruislip last year.

Reports today say (Feb 24) Ladbrokes have made Mr Cracknell the 10-1 favourite for nomination for the Kensington seat, along with Sayed Kamall, the leader of the Conservatives in the European Union.

James Cracknell announced his intention to go into politics two years ago but has been unsuccessful thus far in finding a constituency. He narrowly failed to win a nomination to run for the European Parliament for the South West constituency in the last Euro Elections and he also lost out to local farmer Huw Merriman to be chosen as parliamentary candidate for Bexhill and Battle in east Sussex last December.

There has been no comment so far from Mr. Cracknell. He is married to journalist and broadcaster Beverley Turner and the couple have three children.

According to the Telegraph, other possible candidates for that seat include Sir Merrick Cockell, the former chairman of the Local Government Association, and two councillors - Warwick Lightfoot and Nick Paget-Brown.

February 24, 2015