Paddick's pitch to become Lib Dem Mayor

Mr Paddick said he would restore trust in the Metropolitan Police and help deliver a "dramatic" reduction in crime. The former deputy assistant commissioner, who pioneered the softly-softly approach to cannabis while Lambeth commander, said he would not shy away from bringing in radical policies.

He also promised to work with Met chief Sir Ian Blair despite their differences, which contributed to his decision to quit the force in May after 30 years as an outspoken figure.

The Lib-Dem nomination pitches him against Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone for London's top job.

In his first interview as Lib-Dem candidate, Mr Paddick underlined his law-and-order credentials, pointing out he was the only candidate with experience of tackling crime.

"What I'm going to do as Mayor is try and transform the relationship between the police and Londoners to get to a position where all Londoners have trust and confidence in the police," he told the Standard. "That clearly is not the case at the moment."

Mr Paddick, 49, has promised a reorganisation of the force that would allow police officers to spend more time on the beat while community support officers did the form-filling, as well as a more realistic approach to drug enforcement.

But he refused to accept any responsibility for the problems faced by the Met despite spending four years at the top of the force. "One of my great frustrations was never being at the top table, sat round with the Commissioner and his senior team and being able to influence and direct the service. There were a whole range of issues where I had strong views but couldn't get my voice heard," he said. "I ended up as the deputy assistant commissioner and it was made quite clear to me that I was the deputy."

Mr Paddick claims he left the Met after he was sidelined for disputing Sir Ian's version of events on the day Jean Charles de Menezes was shot.

But he believes the two men could still work together if he won the £138,000-a-year post in May, despite his recent suggestions that Sir Ian should consider his position over the Stockwell shooting. He said: "I wouldn't say that we've patched things up. What I'm saying is that we're both professional enough and grown up enough to be able to work together."

The clash with Sir Ian was not the only controversy during his police career. He was cleared in 2002 of claims by a former lover that he had smoked cannabis and in another episode was criticised for saying he found the concept of anarchy appealing.

He was Britain's most senior openly gay policeman but believes the people of London are "relaxed" at the prospect of a gay Mayor and said he was not afraid of any attempted smear campaign.

Mr Paddick said London voters would be able to see beyond the "cannabis cop" and "camp commander" labels that had dogged him through his career - and that he stood a good chance of winning.

"Quite clearly I'm more than just gay and I'm more than just a proponent of a so-called radical drugs policy," he said. "I will attract people who, although Ken has done a good job, realise that he has now become out of touch and eight years is enough for somebody to be Mayor.

"I will attract people who, although they like Boris Johnson because he's good entertainment, will not be able to bring themselves to vote for him to be what is effectively an ambassador for London."

Mr Paddick has promised a radical manifesto including a major overhaul of the congestion charge, with a possible exemption for van drivers, and bringing in more "intelligent" transport technology to make buses run on time.

He believes successful recycling schemes used by individual councils should be copied across London and, while supportive of the Olympics, has warned he would not write organisers "a blank cheque".

Mr Paddick won the Liberal Democrat nomination with 73 per cent of the vote, beating Finchley barrister Chamali Fernando and Haringey councillor Fiyaz Mughal.