As the putative front runner, Braintree MP and former home secretary and foreign secretary James Cleverly has been working the conference circuit very hard.
Once a London Assembly member, and former head of the London Fire Authority, he is seen by many Tories as the ‘shoe-in’ candidate.
But he will come with baggage – he is a Brexiteer and when he was head of London’s Fire Authority oversaw a big cuts programme.
He told me: “I hope to be a real champion for London, not just an administrator. I would make sure people are safe on the street and can really make a life for themselves and their families and can afford to live in London.”
Cleverly said party political affiliations “are less important than someone with a real plan to make London a city we can be proud of again”.
He added: “I hope to get the candidacy and then be a real champion for London, not just an administrator but a real champion and it’s the city I love and that’s why I want to put myself forward.”
The hopefuls in the race to be the Conservative mayoral candidate will have to wait until November to find out if they’ve made the final shortlist.
It is believed that London party members will then be offered a choice of two candidates.
I’m told the final two are likely to be announced on 20 November.
The original proposed date had been Friday the 13th, until it was pointed out that that may not be the most auspicious date to unveil candidates.
Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, external, X, external and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk, external
