LEMBIT OPIK, the former MP turned stand-up comic, has announced officially that he wants to become Mayor of London, on the Liberal Democrat ticket.
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“I’m potentially standing for Mayor of London because one or two fairly senior MPs from London suggested it,” Opik told BBC TV this morning.
“I’m not narcissistic about it. If London wants it and if the Lib-Dems want it, then I’ll stand.”
Probably more famous for his entertaining romantic attachments than for his politics, Opik found fame on the gossip pages when he dumped TV weather woman Sian Lloyd for one of the Cheeky Girls.
Opik lost his parliamentary seat in May’s General Election, some say because of the private-life publicity. Since then he has since tried stand-up, most recently last weekend at Glastonbury, where he abandoned his one hour slot after 20 minutes when the crowd grew restless.
“There was heckling, with one man shouting out ‘When does the comedy hour start?’ to which [Opik] offered no response,” said a witness.
Opik hopes the heckling won’t transfer to the mayoral election, due for 2012.
“Boris Johnson has proved that this city is mature enough to recognise the difference between character and policy,” he said.
Opik faces competition inside his own party. Former London police chief Brian Paddick, the LibDem candidate last time out, and actress Joanna Lumley have both been touted as runners in the race.
The Tories are to be represented by incumbent Johnson and Labour by either former mayor Ken Livingstone or former east London MP Oona King.
