Morrissey 'seriously considering' running for London Mayor

Singer Morrissey is said to be "seriously considering" running for London Mayor after being asked to join the race by an animal rights group.

The 56-year-old former Smiths frontman was asked by the Animal Welfare Party to enter the race to succeed Boris Johnson.

According to fan website, True to You, he is "considering the contest very seriously".

Posting a statement on the webzine, he said: "There must be a governmental voice against the hellish and archaic social injustice allotted to animals in the United Kingdom simply because those animals do not speak English, otherwise millions of very caring citizens are greatly concerned about issues that no one is able to do anything about."

In the statement, he compared killing animals for food to the Holocaust and took a pot shot at celebrity chef Jamie Oliver branding him an "animal serial killer".

To enter the May 5 mayoral race to challenge Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith and Labour's Sadiq Khan, the musician would need to collect 330 signatures, 10 from each London borough.

Animal Welfare Party leader Vanessa Hudson said: "I can confirm we have asked Morrissey to consider standing as a candidate in the election."