London Mayor Boris Johnson will seek to become a Member of Parliament in west London at next year's general election, his spokesman says, raising the prospect of a future run at becoming prime minister.
Johnson, known for his unkempt shock of blond hair and frequent gaffes, hopes to be selected as the Conservative Party candidate for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, a seat the party has held since 1970, his spokesman said on Tuesday.
Many see the 50-year-old as a potential successor to Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron given his high profile and popularity with grassroots members.
The seat is currently held by John Randall, but he announced last month that he would not be seeking re-election at next year's vote.
"I'm sure there will be plenty of excellent candidates and I hope very much to make my case to the local party association," Johnson told the Evening Standard newspaper.
Johnson revealed earlier this month that he was looking for a return to the House of Commons, having already served there between 2001 and 2008.
Johnson has always publicly played down his chances of eventually becoming prime minister, saying they were about as good as those "of finding Elvis on Mars or my being reincarnated as an olive".
His target seat neighbours international travel hub Heathrow Airport, which hopes to expand in order to deal with London's increasing demand for landing spots.
But Johnson has consistently argued against its plans for a third runway, and has instead proposed an alternative new airport to the east of the city, dubbed "Boris Island" by the press.
His stance could appeal to local residents worried about the extra air traffic passing over their houses, but may put off those who depend on the airport for their livelihood.
While Johnson has a high international profile, several other leading Conservatives are also seen as strong contenders to succeed Cameron should he step down.
These include finance minister George Osborne and Home Secretary Theresa May.
Johnson and Cameron are old rivals who attended the elite Eton College and Oxford University together.
Earlier this week, Johnson called for strict new laws to combat the threat raised by homegrown jihadists after US journalist James Foley was beheaded in Syria by an extremist who apparently had a British accent.
As mayor, his most high-profile success was running the city during the 2012 Olympics.
He provided one of the most memorable images of the Games when he was left dangling mid-air after being stuck on a zip wire waving two British flags in front of a watching crowd.
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