Is London doomed?

Lembit Öpik has been touted as a possible Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of London. (Liberal England: London Lembit?) Now I don't claim to be the world's greatest expert on geography, but the last time I look Öpik's Montgomeryshire constituency was in the middle of Wales and hardly anywhere in Greater London. Let's look again, courtesy of Liberal Democrat Voice: Lembit for London:

It's not exactly Zone 6 is it?

A report the other week in the Shropshire Star said:

Opik for mayor? Unlikely

Liberal Democrats today dismissed as "highly unlikely" a report that Montgomeryshire MP Lembit Öpik might bid to become the party’s candidate for London Mayor next year.

The report suggested that the Mid Wales MP was being touted as candidate for the job of trying to unseat Labour's Ken Livingstone.

It said that his entry into the race would "liven the contest up" and would not harm his parliamentary career if he performed well.

A colleague was quoted in the Daily Express as saying: "The party is keen to have someone well known with charisma to stand for the job, and that's certainly true of Lembit." The contest for the Lib Dem candidacy has just been advertised.

Would-be candidates have until the end of March to put in their applications.

Party chiefs will draw up a shortlist of names to be announced on April 9, and ballots will go out to all London members before the winner is announced at the end of May.

A party spokesman said applications had only just been invited, but an application from Mr Öpik was thought "highly unlikely".

The MP hit the headlines recently after ending his long-term partnership with TV weather girl Sian Lloyd and striking up a relationship with Cheeky Girl Gabriela Irimia.

Well that's a relief. For a moment I was worried that an association with Lembit would mean London was going to get hit by an asteroid.