Ken Livingstone bounces back on radio

Ken Livingstone admitted losing the mayoralty of London was like a "bereavement" yesterday, as he prepared to start his new job – as a radio talk-show host.

Mr Livingstone, 63, told the BBC that he had not ruled out standing again for the job as London Mayor despite losing to Boris Johnson last month.

He takes up his new role as an afternoon presenter on the London station LBC 97.3 FM today. Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, the two-time mayor and former left-wing firebrand talked about the days after losing his City Hall powerbase. He said: "That weekend it was like a bereavement and everyone around me [acted] like it was like a bereavement.

"But unlike a real bereavement, by the Tuesday you're over it and you're getting on with work, and hey, there's an awful lot of things you've put off for years, round the house, round the garden."

Asked about his new role as a talk-show host, he said: "I actually, 20 years ago, sat in for Jimmy Young one week while he was away. And the technology's moved on since then, and I mean it's much more interactive.

"I like the dialogue. One of the things that I loved about being mayor was people come up to you on the street, they tell you what they think and you're constantly involved in debate and argument and so on. So I would quite happily do that."