Patten puts down marker for mayor

Chris Patten, the last governor of Hong Kong has admitted publicly for the first time that he would like to become the elected mayor of London "if the job was right".

But he added: "No one knows what the job is going to be. If it is just a bit of political under-chiming or choosing someone who will be a transmission service for decisions taken by Gordon Brown or John Prescott, then it is going to be difficult to find politicians and non politicians from the left, right and centre who would want to do it.

"I am sure however, if the job is right - and if it is true the Conservative Party will run a London-wide primary to choose a candidate - that would be an extremely attractive thing to do," he said in an interview with the Times.

Mr Patten, who is in London to oversee the decorating of his new home in Barnes, said that he liked "running things" and that he might be interested in further jobs in the public service.