Sol Campbell, the ex-England footballer, has announced his intentions to stand for London Mayor.
The process to replace Boris Johnson begins after the General Election in May 2016 and Campbell said that he was “definitely interested” in running for the role.
Campbell, who played for Tottenham and Arsenal, told The Sun: “We’ll see what happens. A few more conversations need to take place.”
He joined Conservative party Chairman Grant Shapps for lunch in central London in December, during which he reportedly discussed joining the party to be a candidate for the 2020 general election.
However it seems the party are now keen to accelerate Campbell’s entry into politics.
Boris Johnson's defining moments
Boris Johnson's defining moments
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1/32 2016
Boris Johnson swings from a bus as Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers (left), Northern First Minister and DUP leader Arlene Foster and Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment Jonathan Bell (second right) look on during a visit to Wrightbus Chassis plant in Antrim
PA
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2/32 2015
Boris Johnson takes down 10-year-old Toki Sekiguchi during a game of Street Rugby with a group of Tokyo children
Reuters
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3/32 2015
Boris Johnson planting flowers at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew
PA
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4/32 2015
A commuter gesturing to Boris Johnson as he cycles across Vauxhall Bridge
PA
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5/32 2014
Mayor of London Boris Johnson boxes with a trainer during his visit to Fight for Peace Academy in North Woolwich
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6/32 2014
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson wears a traditional headdress during a visit to the Shree Swaminarayan Mandir, a major new Hindu temple being built in Kingsbury in London
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7/32 2014
Many Conservative Party members gagging to have Boris Johnson as their MP
PA
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8/32 2014
Boris Johnson prepares to deliver a speech in Bloomberg's European headquarters on Britain's involvement in the EU. Mr Johnson also announced his intention to become an MP again at the 2015 general election, whilst serving out the remainder of his term as mayor.
Getty Images
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9/32 2014
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson during a speech and Q&A session at Bloomberg, London, where he has said that 'in all probability' he will seek to stand for Parliament in next year's general election.
PA Wire
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10/32 2014
London mayor Boris Johnson helps shear a sheep held by New Zealand's most successful competition sheep shearer, David Fagan (L) on a visit to Lister Shearing Equipment in Stonehouse
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11/32 2013
Mayor of London Boris Johnson takes a helicopter ride over Hong Kong as part of week long visit to China to promote trade between the far east and London
PA
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12/32 2013
Boris Johnson explains why he's such a hit with female voters
PA
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13/32 2013
Boris Johnson celebrates after a wildly successful interview with Eddie Mair
PA
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14/32 2013
Mayor of London Boris Johnson sits in the operator's cab of a crane on the quay at DP World London Gateway Port in Stanford-le-Hope
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15/32 2013
Boris Johnson shoots a basketball
Getty Images
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16/32 2013
The Mayor of London make a strong pose in what appears to be a particularly bad tourism advert for Asia
PA
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17/32 2013
Boris Johnson meets saltwater crocodile George, which was named after the royal baby
EPA
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18/32 2013
Perhaps the only person ever who has ridden on the Emirates Air Line
Getty Images
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19/32 2012
Boris Johnson's encounter with a zip wire only served to prove how adept the London Mayor is at defying political gravity in 2012
Getty Images
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20/32 2012
Boris Johnson playing tennis
Getty Images
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21/32 2012
Aside from his mayoral duties, London Mayor, Boris Johnson, is looking displeased at his seven appearances
Rex Features
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22/32 2012
Boris goes for a bounce in one of favourite places... (the Olympic village obviousy)
Reuters
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23/32 2011
London Mayor Boris Johnson on the streets of Clapham
REUTERS
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24/32 2011
Like a raging bull, Boris Johnson challenges a statue to a duel
AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade
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25/32 2010
Boris Johnson embraces a member of the public in Ealing, west London, who seems to have taken a shine to him
FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA
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26/32 2009
Frothy top? Boris Johnson visits Starbucks in Mayfair
PA
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27/32 2009
Johnson tries on one of his favourite pink and sparkly hats
Getty Images
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28/32 2008
Johnson smiles smugly as he thinks of his fine mop of hair, worthy of a L'Oreal advert
PA
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29/32 2008
Boris Johnson tries his hand at policing the capital - primarily by wearing a new hat
PA
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30/32 2008
The hippie world welcomes a new member to the fold in Boris Johnson
Reuters
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31/32 2004
Boris Johnson jogs on the streets of London
PA
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32/32 1980's
Boris as a young'un. He was fired from his first job as a trainee reporter at The Times for making up a quote about the Plantagenet King Edward the II and his gay lover
BBC
Certainly, the 40-year-old doesn't lack confidence in his ability to aid the party's cause.
Speaking to The Guardian last year he said: “I have got so much to offer. I think it is very important for the black vote. If the ‘black vote’ votes it will clearly push someone over the line. I am for getting people from my background to vote.”
Back in November 2014, Campbell said the Labour party’s proposed “mansion tax” on properties worth over £2m was "flawed and not fair at all".
Speaking on the BBC Daily Politics show, he labelled it a “tax on aspiration” and told the programme that it would hurt people who were “a way away from London and oligarchs”. Campbell put his Thames-side Chelsea flat on the market for £25 million just a week after criticising the proposed policy.
Campbell retired from football in 2012.
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