- guardian.co.uk, Friday 17 December 1999 00.52 GMT
"I don't believe this, he has gone to answer the door," Today's Jim Naughtie spluttered as the line went dead. Naughtie was particularly upset because he had just started to press McLaren on what his policies would be as mayor of London. Less than 12 hours after announcing that he is to stand in next May's election against London's "karaoke stooge" politicians, McLaren was facing the mandatory Today programme grilling.
Sounding disturbingly respectful - he glossed over his commitment to set up brothels opposite the House of Commons to stamp out sleaze - McLaren declared that he would stand up for "authentic" Londoners.
"London has become a collection of people who feel like unpaid extras in the most expensive theme park in this world," he said. "I have never seen so many restaurants, coffee shops, yet London has never seemed so dull. The cappucino bar culture that Tony Blair raves about looks set to dominate the whole of London's lifestyle."
In his new capital there will be holograms of Dixon of Dock Green to reassure anxious Londoners; no charges for museums or art galleries; a housing lottery to help the homeless; and endless supplies of Guinness in public libraries.
And what qualities would the creator of the Sex Pistols, now 53, and bankrolled by record boss Alan McGee, bring to the mayoralty? "I'm real," he said. "I've made mistakes. I'm soiled. I don't care. I'm from London."
