McLaren's bid to run capital `dead serious'

MALCOLM MCLAREN, former manager of the Sex Pistols, officially launched his campaign to be mayor of London yesterday as other candidates conceded it would add a touch of "gaiety" to the race.

He said all candidates should be totally independent and promised to rid London of its "cappuccino bar culture". Under Mr McLaren alcohol would be sold in libraries, cannabis would be decriminalised and legalised brothels set up opposite the Houses of Parliament to "get rid of sleaze scandals". He also wants to scrap museum and gallery charges so people "can drift through public buildings as an alternative route through town".

"London must have an independent spokesperson at its helm, to act against its main pollutants - those politicians who will allow the corporate takeover of London that will destroy the capital's true and authentic self," he said. "If we're going to have a mayor, let he or she be an authentic candidate. Otherwise, hand it over to ... politicians, advertising execs, TV companies, news moguls, cappuccino bar entrepreneurs and the mobile-phone and music industries - and let's just get this sell-out over with."

Steve Norris, leading candidate for the Conservative nomination, said: "His candidacy adds greatly to the gaiety of nations. The manifesto sounds typical of him and if he succeeds in the requirements then his presence will make everything more amusing."

Mr McLaren's campaign is being backed by Alan McGee of Creation records and yesterday a Creation spokesman insisted Mr McLaren was serious: "He is a fourth-generation Londoner, his brother is a cab-driver and he is passionate about the city. He is deadly serious about this."