Come one, come all! Applications to stand as the Tory candidate in Henley are now open, following the decision of the local MP John Howell to retire. And with such a vacancy comes the inevitable speculation about the return of Boris Johnson, who proceeded Howell as Henley’s MP from 2001 until 2008. Polls suggest Johnson will lose his current Uxbridge seat (majority: 7,210) and would therefore seek the safer berth of Henley (majority: 14,053).
Such speculation about a ‘chicken run’ has only been fuelled by Johnson’s new living arrangements. The ex-Prime Minister moved into a £3.8 million Oxfordshire residence earlier this month and was last weekend spotted making a surprise appearance at his local village fete. One local member who certainly won’t be voting for him if he were to try to stand is John Howell. When asked whether there was any way Boris Johnson could return as Henley’s MP, he replied:
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