O'Connor calls it quits in mayoral race

1:15pm Friday 25th April 2008

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English Democrats candidate for London mayor Matt O'Connor has withdrawn from the race to become the capital's next leader.

The founder of campaigning group Fathers 4 Justice told BBC London that he had fallen out with the party leadership and also bemoaned the lack of media coverage.

"We've just had St George's Day and you would just think the one thing a party about England would own would be St George's Day," he told presenter Vanessa Feltz.

"But I don't think they got any publicity at all and I was effectively sidelined. I think they thought I was going to take over the party or something."

His name will still appear on ballot papers on May 1 as these have already been produced.

O'Connor, who orchestrated stunts such as the powder-bombing of Tony Blair in the Commons and Batman on Buckingham Palace , had vowed to bring "theatre and drama" to his campaign.

Last month saw the One London party's candidate Damian Hockney also quit the race to be mayor of London, blaming a lack of media opportunities for smaller parties.

The 51-year-old told the BBC that "smaller groups" were "effectively barred" from certain types of campaigning, such as TV advertising and mailshots to voters.

He also argued that the mayoral race was "a media election, fought just in the media".

The remaining candidates for the London mayoral elections are: Richard Barnbrook - British National Party Gerard Batten - UK Independence Party Sian Berry - Green Party Alan Craig - Christian Peoples Alliance and Christian Party Lindsey German - Left List Boris Johnson - Conservative Party Ken Livingstone - Labour Party Winston McKenzie - Independent Brian Paddick - Liberal Democrats