Colourful Lib Dem keen to run for the post if he has his party's blessing

A charismatic politician with an exotic heritage, a talent for self-promotion and sufficient levels of public recognition to make a surname surplus to requirements is once again plotting to win control of London.

Lembit Öpik, the colourful Liberal Democrat who lost his Welsh seat last month, has said he will run for the job of London mayor if he wins his party's blessing.

"If there's enough interest in London to do it, I'll stand," he told the Guardian today as he prepared to join Billy Bragg on stage at Glastonbury.

"I've had a conversation with the leadership and they say they won't take a final position. I'm not narcissistic or precious about it. If the party doesn't want me to stand then I'll respect that."

The 45-year-old, who has reinvented himself as a stand-up comedian since leaving Westminster, said he was not "trying to be a member of the awkward squad", adding: "I just think I could run London well and my libertarian approach could be good for the city."

He has recently toyed with the notion in his comedy act, telling audiences: "There is one job that seems to suit me – a funny name, little bit odd sometimes, quirky, a chequered background and ex-MP – Mayor of London."

The capital, he said, had already shown a willingness to be amused by electing the current mayor, Boris Johnson. "Boris has proved that London likes personality, [but] I am leftwing and libertarian."

Asked whether he would have to give up comedy were he to win, Öpik said: "Boris didn't. And my comedy is laughter with a purpose. If you can't do politics with a smile, why should people take you seriously? But I'm at the mercy of London. If they want me, they can have me."

Öpik, a chatshow regular known for dating TV presenter Sian Lloyd and one of the Cheeky Girls, was one of the most high-profile Lib Dem election casualties. He lost his Montgomeryshire seat by just over 1,000 votes on a swing of 13.16% to the Tories.

On Thursday, the Labour party announced that its two principal contenders to be Labour's mayoral candidate in 2012 would be the former mayor Ken Livingstone and Oona King.

Earlier this week, the London Evening Standard reported that Johnson had been "toying with the idea" of running for a mayoral second term and is expected to declare his candidacy in the next few weeks.

A spokeswoman for the Liberal Democrats said that the party was aware of Öpik's desire to run, but added that no decision had been made on who would stand as the Lib Dem candidate.