Brian Paddick won't run for London mayor

Former London mayoral hopeful Brian Paddick has said he won't run for London mayor in 2012.

The former most senior out gay police officer in Britain was the Liberal Democrat candidate in the 2008 race but came third with ten per cent of the vote behind winner Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone.

Instead, he told PinkNews.co.uk, he is supporting 32-year-old Duwayne Brooks, a Liberal Democrat councillor and friend of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence, for the Liberal Democrat nomination.

"We have an excellent potential candidate. . . [if he wins the nomination], I would be throwing my weight behind that candidate," he said.

When asked why he would not seek the nomination, Mr Paddick said: "Because I think Duwayne Brooks is a better candidate. And has a better chance of winning. I think Londoners deserve a clear choice of candidate, not a mirror-image re-run of what happened last time."

He added: "I told a BBC Politics Show that one character in a London race is enough choice for Londoners.

Last week, Mr Paddick said Mr Brooks would be a "serious alternative" for Lib Dem supporters eager to see anyone but former Lib Dem MP Lembit Opik step up to the role.

He also ruled out becoming an MP, saying the long hours would mean he would barely see his husband Petter, who lives and works in Oslo.

The former reality TV star, who retired in 2007, says he would consider taking up a seat in the House of Lords. He was the most popular choice among Lib Dem supporters for a peerage at last year's party conference and sees the opportunity as a "platform" for highlighting issues he's interested in.

Yesterday, Ken Livingstone won the Labour nomination for the party's contender. He beat Oona King with 68.8 per cent of the vote.

Incumbent Tory mayor Boris Johnson will stand for re-election.