GEORGE Galloway will stand in the London mayoral election next year, he revealed yesterday.

The leader of the Respect Party, who lost his Bradford West parliamentary seat to Labour earlier this month, tweeted the announcement of his candidacy with a picture of his youngest son, Toren.

The toddler is shown holding on to Mr Galloway’s shoulder with the caption: “Dad, you’ve got to do this. I’ve got your back!”

In April, Mr Galloway told Sky News that he would run for the mayoral job — currently held by Boris Johnson, now also Tory MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip — if he was not re-elected to the Commons.

Labour has yet to choose its candidate for the position, but contenders include former culture secretary Tessa Jowell and London MPs Sadiq Khan, David Lammy, Diane Abbott and Gareth Thomas.

Several Conservatives, including former England footballer Sol Campbell, are seeking their party’s nomination for the election in May 2016.