By politics.co.uk staff

Ken Livingstone has announced he will run for London Mayor at the next election, even if he has to become an independent.

Labour officials are still mulling over who to pick as a candidate, with rumours that Sir Alan Sugar may be asked to take on the role.

But Mr Livingstone, who is still very popular among the Labour grassroots and many Londoners, said he would “love” to take up the role again.

He said he was “as certain as you can be, two-and-a-half years ahead” of the election, adding he would run as an independent if Labour officials did not select him.

He originally took the role as an independent after Labour leaders conspired against him as overly left-wing in 2000.

But as a 63-year-old, the former Brent East MP, also said he was too old to become prime minister.
Conservative candidate Mr Johnson beat him by 139,772 votes in last year’s mayoral election.

The comments follow statements by Mr Livingstone saying Labour will lose voters if Gordon Brown stays as leader.