The former Mayor of New York has dismissed rumours he could mount a bid to replace Boris Johnson as London mayor, saying he has "zero chance, zero interest".
Michael Bloomberg, who has claimed London is a "second home" to him and has many Tory admirers, flatly ruled out the move yesterday.
Earlier he had received an honorary knighthood from the Queen at the British Embassy in Washington.
According to a report in last week's Sunday Times, the 73-year-old billionaire politician was being urged to run as the Conservative candidate in 2016 - when Mr Johnson steps down following his possible election to Westminster.
Steve Hilton, a senior advisor to David Cameron, told the newspaper: “It would be an incredible coup for London if Mike Bloomberg could be persuaded to run for Mayor here.
“His kind of pragmatic problem-solving leadership is exactly what London needs.”
But asked yesterday whether he was considering the move, he told the New York Times he had "zero chance, zero interest".
Earlier this week, Mr Johson used a lighthearted column in the Telegraph to throw his weight behind a possible campaign.
He said the story did not appear to be a "complete invention", adding: "I had hoped that you would run for President, but you have mystifyingly decided to let that chance pass.
"There is therefore only one way to excel your epic 12-year career at the helm in Manhattan; there is only one great municipal job that could conceivably count as a promotion; there is only one way to graduate upwards from the position of Mayor of New York, and that is to become the leader of a city that has regained its status as the greatest on earth."
