Following his defeat in 2012 Ken Livingstone promised us he would leave public life for good, specifically that he would not become a peer. Asked by the BBC at the time if he would consider joining the House of Lords, Ken replied:

“Oh God no. For the first time in my life I’ve got a week without any meetings planned. It’s quite remarkable.”

Even out of office Ken is failing to keep his promises. Speaking to Total Politics this week, he has now u-turned on that pledge and signalled he would accept a peerage:

“That’s a question you need to put to Ed. I’ve always said to him, this is the last chance in my lifetime of getting a Labour government that works, I will do anything to help you get there. You can’t turn down your party leader if they ask you to do something — how could you?”

Arise Lord Livingstone of Silveta…

UPDATE: Some, er, less than helpful words for Ed later on in the interview too:

“Ed is much more normal than I am. He’s actually interested in detail and facts. Ed does not give a damn about what he’s wearing, his hairstyle – I’m sure he’s surrounded by people telling him he needs to do this and that but he really doesn’t care any more than I did, and therefore he will change Britain.

Ed is like me, he doesn’t want to be there, he wants to do something. He will hate all the trivial crap. People have always thought I’m weird – I collected reptiles for god’s sake, I make Ed look normal Everybody thought I was weird – and with my voice, and my lack of any fashion sense.”