UKIP leader Nigel Farage heads to Nottingham tomorrow as rumours spread that he will be running in the forthcoming Newark by-election.
The by-election follows the resignation of Patrick Mercer from Parliament after being caught in a cash-for-questions sting.
Mr Farage could become MP for the area within weeks, after a spokesman said that he will give the idea of running "serious consideration".
The Tories have a majority of more than 16,000 in Newark, with UKIP coming fourth in 2010 with 25,000 fewer votes.
But with the Eurosceptic party expected to top the polls at May's Euro-election, it could boost UKIP's chances.
Last night, a UKIP spokesman said: "Nigel will give it serious consideration but for now we're focusing on the best possible result in the EU elections."
Former shadow security spokesman Mr Mercer unexpectedly resigned from the Conservative party last June after a BBC Panorama programme alleged he broke lobbying rules.
The report into Mr Mercer's conduct is expected to be released tomorrow but it is understood to recommends banning him from Parliament for six months. Speaking last night outside the Commons, Mr Mercer said he wanted to put things right and there was "no point shilly shallying".
He said: "As an ex-soldier I believe that when I have got something wrong you have got to fess up and get on with it.
"No point in shilly shallying and trying to avoid it. What's happened has happened and I'm ashamed of it."
Mr Mercer said he was going to do what he could to "put it right" for the people of Newark and for his wife and family "who have been under such pressure for the last year".
He added: "With a great heaviness of heart – and I'm hoping that the people of Newark will be able to tolerate me in the future, I'm hoping that they will – I'm going to resign my seat of God's county of Nottinghamshire in the town of Newark and I hope that my successor, who has been well and carefully chosen, will be the Conservative candidate."
Nottingham Trent University politics lecturer Dr Matthew Ashton said he didn't think the 16,000 Conservative majority could be overturned.
He said: "It's a monumental task for UKIP to win."
Stuart Wallace, chairman of Newark Conservative Association, said: "Following Patrick's earlier decision not to stand again, we selected a superb candidate, Robert Jenrick, who has already been very active locally."
The deputy leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor Michael Payne, has been selected to run for Labour at the election and the Liberal Democrats have not yet selected a candidate.
What do you think? E-mail opinion@nottinghampost.com
