Boris Johnson is re-selected as Conservative candidate in his Uxbridge & South Ruislip constituency

Boris Johnson has been re-selected as the Conservative candidate in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency.

The Uxbridge and South Ruislip Conservative Association applauded the former prime minister’s commitment to the community and said it looks forward to ‘continuing to work alongside him.’

Mr Johnson’s re-selection comes following speculation that he might seek out a safer seat ahead of the next general election.

While the 58-year-old holds a 7,000 vote majority, his seat is seen as a target for Labour at the next election.

Boris Johnson (pictured on Thursday) has been re-selected as the Conservative candidate in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency

While the 58-year-old holds a 7,000 vote majority, his seat in Uxbridge and South Ruislip (pictured) is seen as a target for Labour at the next election

Mr Johnson, who first won the northwest London seat in 2015, will once again contest it in the next election. 

‘I can confirm Boris Johnson has been re-selected as the Conservative candidate in Uxbridge and South Ruislip,’ a spokesman said Thursday evening.

The Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency has become a top target for Labour at the next election with local Camden councillor Danny Beales selected to take Mr Johnson on.

There has been persistent speculation that the former prime minister and current MP would seek a new or safer seat – such as his former one in Henley, Oxfordshire – in the upcoming election.

However, allies of Mr Johnson have always rejected any suggestion he would do so.

Since leaving office last September, Mr Johnson has declared more than £1 million in speaking fees. He has also made a number of public interventions since exiting Downing Street.

Earlier this month he criticised the deal with the EU that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak agreed to replace elements of the Northern Ireland Protocol. 

In a statement, the Uxbridge and South Ruislip Conservative Association said: ‘Tonight the Uxbridge & South Ruislip selection committee adopted Boris Johnson as our parliamentary candidate.

‘We look forward to continuing to work alongside him to deliver for the residents and communities within the constituency, where he has strong connections and involvement.

‘His commitment to deliver a new Hillingdon Hospital for Uxbridge & South Ruislip residents remains at the forefront of his work as our local MP.’

Despite his re-selection, Mr Johnson’s future as an MP is by no means safe as he will face a televised grilling next week from officials investigating whether he lied to the Commons over Partygate.

He will need to convince the MPs he did not knowingly mislead the House with his denials of lockdown-breaching parties being held in No 10 if he is to avoid censure.

Earlier this month Mr Johnson criticised the deal with the EU that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (pictured on Thursday) agreed to replace elements of the Northern Ireland Protocol

In an interim report, the Privileges Committee said the evidence strongly suggests breaches of coronavirus rules would have been ‘obvious’ to Mr Johnson during the Partygate saga.

They are examining evidence around at least four occasions when he may have deliberately misled MPs with his assurances to the Commons.

But Mr Johnson, who was fined by the Metropolitan Police for breaching his own Covid laws, has denied lying to the House and says he expects to be cleared.

The committee will publish its findings on whether Mr Johnson committed a contempt of Parliament and would make a recommendation on any punishment, but the ultimate decision would fall to the full House of Commons.

A suspension of more than ten sitting days could lead to a recall for Mr Johnson in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency.

The former Tory leader has raised concerns over former senior civil servant Sue Gray, who carried out a previous Partygate investigation, after it emerged she has been appointed Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff.

However, the committee, chaired by Labour grandee Harriet Harman but with a Conservative majority of four of its seven MPs, denied its inquiry is based on the Gray report.

Instead, the inquiry has taken evidence from witnesses’ WhatsApps, emails and photographs from a Downing Street photographer, officials allege.

The former prime minister is to appear before the cross-party Commons Privileges Committee at 2pm next Wednesday.