The revelation that Ken Livingstone has three children from previous relationships might well come as a surprise to Londoners.

This newspaper has known about Mr Livingstone's previous family for some time - but chose not to publish details of a private matter. Whether he was wise to conceal these details from the public for so long is another matter.

The Mayor has now given information on this because it was likely to be published by journalists. He has, in the past, dismissed rumours surrounding a love-child as a "malicious libel" - he should have come clean then and set the record straight.

Of course, Mr Livingstone is correct that his private life is his own business. But politicians are public figures. Voters are entitled to know basic facts about the life of a candidate for high office, including the number of children they have.

One of the charges which has most dogged Mr Livingstone in his re-election bid is the perception that he lacks transparency - only 28 per cent in the recent ICM poll considered him the most honest candidate.

In terms of the election race, the Mayor says he is confident he will shake off any damage from the disclosure over his children. It would have been a sign of greater openness if he had put the basic facts about his family on the record in the first place.

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