Rumours continue to circulate in London that the Met Police's most senior gay officer, until he retired in November 2006, ex Deputy Assistant Commissioner Brian Paddick, will shortly be announced as the Lib-Dem candidate for London mayor.
Paddick achieved controversy for his "legalisation" of cannabis in the Brixton neighbourhoold during his tenure as the local senior police officer, a policy later rescinded.
He also famously fell out with Sir Ian Blair, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, in particular over the evidence Paddick gave to the Independent Police Complaints Commission investigating the alleged "cover up" following the accidental shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes after the London bombings in 2005.
The Met Police later had to make a statement withdrawing a challenge it had made questioning his evidence to the IPCC enquiry team.
In June 2007 it was announced that having left the force, Paddick had signed a lucrative book deal about his years in the Met.
Now all we need is for ex BBC boss Greg Dyke to stand as an Independent and the race could be the most interesting political contest in the UK for years.
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