BOOKIES are taking bets on who will be the next Welwyn Hatfield MP.

Grant Shapps who has served the constituency since 2005 is odds-on favourite at 1/500.

In second place is Mike Hobday and the Labour Party at 20/1.

Lib Dem Paul Zukowskyj, Green Jill Weston and UKIP’s David Platt all come in at 100/1.

Ladbrokes spokesman Richard Royal said: “This is a pretty safe Conservative seat and I’d be amazed if they lost it, although it went Labour between 1997 and 2005 and this is reflected by their status as second favourite at 20/1.

“I wouldn’t expect the other parties to get a look-in, but punters could make a lot of money if they know better!”

? Grant Shapps is also 40/1 to become the next Conservative leader, with Boris Johnson leading at 5/1.

? Research carried out by a group which campaigns for an overhaul of Britain’s electoral system has described Welwyn Hatfield as a safe Conservative seat.

The report, published by the Electoral Reform Society, says the seat is “safe, despite a recent history of voting for another party”.

The news will come as a boost to Tory Grant Shapps who is seeking to win a second term on May 6.