TORY councillor Jason Rust has emerged as the favourite to become the party's candidate to fight Chancellor Alistair Darling at the next General Election.
Conservatives in Edinburgh South-West were left without a standard-bearer when their previous candidate David Potts quit after the local party began deselection moves against him.
Mr Potts, leader of the Tory group on South Tyneside Council, had b
een accused by activists of not spending enough time in the constituency.
Now Cllr Rust, who was Edinburgh's youngest councillor when he was first elected in 2004 at the age of 26, is strongly tipped to be the Tories' choice at the election, expected in 2010.
He said today he was taking soundings from party members before deciding whether to put his name forward, but friends said he certainly would and party sources said he was the "clear favourite".
Mr Darling had a comfortable 7242 majority at the last Westminster election in 2005. But the Tories believe Labour's recent unpopularity and their own good showing in UK opinion polls has boosted the party's chances.
Cllr Rust was elected councillor for Colinton at a by-election following the death of veteran Tory Brian Meek, who had represented the area for 35 years.
In last year's council elections under the new STV proportional representation system, Cllr Rust was re-elected as one of two Conservatives in the new Colinton/Fairmilehead super-ward.
He has been the party's housing spokesman on the council and is currently economic development spokesman.
Other possible contenders include advocate Gordon Lindhurst and city council Tory group leader Iain Whyte.
Neither wanted to comment. But sources said Mr Lindhurst, who fought the 2005 Livingston by-election and Edinburgh West in last year's Holyrood elections, and also stood in Linlithgow at the Scottish Parliament elections of 1999 and 2003, was likely to put his name forward.
Cllr Whyte was seen as less certain to be a contender.
Gordon Buchan, the Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart councillor who stood against Mr Darling in 2005, said he would not be bidding this time. He said: "I have a little boy to look after now and I would far rather spend time with him. I have enough on my plate as a councillor."
Adam Bruce, another former candidate mentioned in connection with the seat, also ruled himself out. He said: "The days of my political candidacy are over."
The full article contains 405 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
