Bradford West MP George Galloway has played down comments he made on Russian television suggesting he will “fight” to become the next Mayor of London.

The Respect MP told Russian Today presenter Max Keiser he has “a committee which is seriously looking at the prospect of [me] running for Mayor of London at the next election”, adding: “I’d like to fight Boris Johnson, and I think David Cameron probably wishes I’d be fighting Boris Johnson because if I’m not, Boris Johnson is back in Parliament fighting him.”

But a spokesman for Mr Galloway yesterday told the Telegraph & Argus it was a “not-too-serious response to a rather facetious question”.

“George is committed to Bradford, to fighting the seat in 2014, helping the Bradford East candidate (not yet selected) defeat David Ward, and in the meantime assisting in getting a serious number of councillors elected in 2014 to be the official opposition and holding the balance of power,” he added.

“Harold Wilson said a week was a long time in politics, 2016 is aeons. Who can say what the political situation will be then? All our crystal balls are shattered.”

Some MPs and councillors in the district last night gave their reactions to the MP standing for the post in 2016, with one accusing him of being “bored of Bradford”.

Current Mayor of London Boris Johnson has previously indicated he will not be running for a third term in the role.

Bradford East Liberal Democrat MP David Ward said: “It would have no impact upon his job as the MP for Bradford West because he is a part-time constituency MP whose short, infrequent visits to Bradford would simply be shorter and even less frequent – no loss there then.”

Bradford West Labour councillor Shakeela Lal added: “He’s only been an MP here just over a year but already George Galloway’s bored of Bradford and looking for his next challenge. He’s more interested in running for Mayor of London than standing up for his constituents.”

“We hardly ever see Mr Galloway in Bradford anyway so this hardly comes as a surprise.”

Ilkley Conservative MP Kris Hopkins said: “To be fair to George, the London Mayoral election is not due to held until 2016, the year after the next General Election.

“A lot could happen between now and then and, knowing George, it probably will.”