Hugh Rayner - The next MP for Hendon?

I hear through the grapevine that Hugh Rayner is going to be taking over the wheels of power at Hendon Conservative Association meeting tonight. The association is in turmoil, with three officers quitting to spend more time with, er, um, er someone who isn't Matthew Offord. Offord has become a bit of a liabilty, continually having unexplained accidents, such as torn retinas, broken hands, in supposedly freak circumstances at home. I would suggest that Offord gets proper builders in and fits safety devices around the place, given that usually only my mates who are boxers (and I don't mean of the canine variety) suffer such traumatic injuries on a regular basis. His house must be a death trap !

Anyway, following his string of high profile injuries, his spat with the chief whip and his, shall we say, growing reputation for being one of the more chilled out MP's when it comes to doing constituency casework, rumours abound that he may be up for replacement. Hugh Rayner, having his hands on the wheels of power would be ideally placed to fulfill his long standing dream of becoming the Hendon MP.

I asked Hugh back in May if he had any ambitions in that direction, as a few people have told me that it was his long term ambition. His reponse - "Not unless something unexpected happens to Matthew Offord". I hadn't appreciated the nuances of the response at the time. Given Matthew Offords spate of "accidents at home", I have started to wonder if Offord got a mate of Hughs to fit his cupboards. If I was Matthew, I'd get the spirit level out and give them the once over.

Rather ominously, I spoke to a leading Conservative benefactor in Hendon recently, who advised me to "keep an eye on Hugh". I asked why, hoping that maybe he'd been involved in some sort of scandal. "Far from it, he's a steady pair of hands and that's what they need right now".

I also heard a rather interesting tale of how Mike Freer MP for  Finchley and Golders Green is starting to tire of helping out his Tory mates in Hendon with casework, because they know at least they might get some sort of result. For all my previous comments about Freer, he does actually seem to be getting his hands dirty and doing some work for the people who elected him. It is only the fact that people have given huge sums to the Tories locally that has made him put up with the situation. It strikes me as rather sad that this is the only way to get stuff done in Hendon. I have had literally dozens of emails from people who are dissatisfied with Offord and how he has dealt with casework. I had wondered if it was a put up job by Labour in Barnet to get him some dodgy coverage, but alas not. He's even upset some staunch Tories.

Anyway, the rumour mill is on for the next Tory Hendon MP, here's the Barnet Eye odds

Hugh Rayner 2/1
Mark Shooter 4/1
Daniel Thomas 12/1
Brian Coleman 100/1

Is that the sound of knives being sharpened I hear?