Controversial ex-police chief throws Lib Dem hat in the ring to run London

He is seeking the Liberal Democrat nomination and, if successful, it promises to become an electrifying contest between three colourful characters.

It would pitch him into a closely-fought battle if, as expected, Tory MP, author and political commentator Boris Johnson is selected as Conservative candidate and Ken Livingstone bids for his third term in office.

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Mr Paddick, 49, a Lib Dem for many years, is promising a radical manifesto focusing on crime, transport and green issues.

His election pledges will include a return to real police officers on the beat instead of the Community Support Officers which have done little to enforce law and order.

Despite coming under fire for his softly-softly approach to cannabis use when he was a Met Police Commander in Lambeth, Mr Paddick refuses to rule out similar projects in future, insisting he has a 'realistic approach to drugs enforcement'.

He also plans a major overhaul of the Congestion Charge to target 'the chief executive in his chauffeur-driven car instead of the delivery driver', and wants to bring in new technology to create a more 'intelligent' transport system.

On conservation and recycling, he will say that successful schemes used by individual councils should be copied across London.

The £138,000-a-year post of Mayor comes up for election on May 1 next year. The Mayor runs the capital, influencing the lives of approximately 7.5 million Londoners.

If he wins the post, it would be an extraordinary vindication of Mr Paddick, who quit the Met last May after 30 years having reached the level of Deputy Assistant Commissioner.

He took early retirement after he was sidelined for speaking out in the wake of the Stockwell shooting in which police mistook Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes for a Muslim terrorist and shot him dead.

Mr Paddick's version of events was at odds with that of Met boss Sir Ian Blair.

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Mr Paddick became a public figure when his experimental relaxing of cannabis laws (ostensibly to concentrate police resources on the fight against heroin and crack) came under scrutiny in South London in 2001.

Combined with his sexuality - he was the highest-ranking openly gay officer in the Met - he rapidly became a 'celebrity' policeman.

And now he wants to be Mayor, claiming: "Ken will choke on his breakfast when he sees my ideas. Nobody else putting themselves forward as Mayor knows more about the issue of law and order than I do.

"Certainly, safer communities are number one on everybody's agenda.

"I have been consistent in my attitude to illegal drugs - they are dangerous and harmful and it is better if people live without them.

"But I have a realistic approach to enforcement and the prevailing circumstances in Lambeth made that policy the right one at the time.

"I shall never be afraid of adopting a radical solution if it's fully thought through, if it's workable, affordable and gets the right result."

On transport he said: "I know, for example, that the bus network doesn't work. I want to make that old joke about waiting for one London bus and four coming at once redundant. The technology exists to do so and it's time we bought into it.

"Equally, the Congestion Charge could be much more sophisticated, targeting the wealthy chief executive in his chauffeur-driven car instead of the delivery driver keeping the capital supplied. One is there by choice, the other by necessity, there should be a way of differentiating between them."

He is supportive of the Olympic bid which will bring the Games to London in 2012. He said: "I wouldn't write the organisers a blank cheque - we need to have value for money for every single pound spent - but we must put on the best possible show."

As for his private life - he is in a long-term relationship with an engineer - he is prepared to have it scrutinised as he runs for public office.

He said: "Politicians are entitled to their privacy provided there is no breach of trust with the electorate. I doubt my domestic life could be scrutinised any more than it was when I was a serving police officer."

The Lib Dems' chosen candidates will be announced in November.