Brian Paddick, the controversial former top cop chosen by the Liberal Democrats as their candidate for London Mayor, is being backed by Elton John, Sky News reports exclusively.

Paddick, Britain's first openly gay senior policeman, operated a softly-softly policy on cannabis when he was Metropolitan Police commander in Brixton, south London, a strategy condemned by many MPs. Now he is challenging London Mayor Ken Livingstone and Conservative rival Boris Johnson in a contest next May that has already been dubbed a race between three mavericks.

Revealing his celebrity backing from Elton, Paddick told Sky News: "Before I got the nomination, I got a text from David Furnish saying 'We'll support you'." He says there has been no pledge of financial support so far. But I'm sure big-spending Elton can afford to donate a few bob to a political campaign.

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