Respect MP George Galloway has suggested that "tedium" could lead him to quit Westminster and enter the race to become the next mayor of London.

The Bradford West MP described the House of Commons as "2% terrifying, and 98% tedium".

Mr Galloway who was a Labour MP for 16 years before being expelled from the party in 2003 following outspoken comments against the Iraq war also said he had discussed his plans with Ed Miliband when the two men met in January.

He revealed earlier this year that he was considering a challenge to Boris Johnson at the 2016 poll.

In an interview with Total Politics magazine, Mr Galloway added: "I'm interested in running for the mayor of London in 2016 but I haven't decided. I like elections more than I like serving. I relish them in the way most politicians don't, and this is the only mass popular election that there is here.

"Seven million people have the right to vote in it; it's the next best thing to a presidential election that you're ever going to get in Britain.

"So, I relish running for the office, and the opportunity finally to be in power over substantial sets of important tasks in a city as great as London is obviously attractive."

Mr Miliband's office has said that the meeting was about an upcoming vote on proposed changes to constituency boundaries.

But Mr Galloway said a number of other issues were discussed.

"It was not discussed that I would come back to the Labour Party - although it may have come up at subsequent meetings," he said.

"The meeting ended with Miliband saying that 'we must do this again, but not here'. Meaning here in the building [parliament]."

He added: "To my great surprise, he asked me to remind him why I'd left Labour. I knew he was young, but I didn't know he was that young. Having to remind him that I didn't leave, I was expelled, came as a bit of a surprise."

Other people reported to be potential candidates for mayor include Dame Tessa Jowell, Diane Abbott, Lord Coe and Karren Brady.