First Published: Saturday 03 May 2008, 01:10
He started the election widely viewed as a clown with no chance of winning but almost 2 days after voting begun in the third Greater London Authority elections Boris Johnson was confirmed as the new Mayor of London.
Throughout the election several polls predicted a comfortable double digit margin of victory for Mr Johnson but in the end he secured a total of 1,168,738 votes against Ken Livingstone's 1,028,966.
LibDem candidate Brian Paddick limped into third place with just 236,685 - almost 50,000 less than Simon Hughes scored for the party in 2004.
The results for the other seven Mayoral candidates were Siān Berry (Green Party) 77,374 votes, Richard Barnbrook (British National Party) 69,710 votes, Alan Craig (Christian Peoples Alliance and Christian Party) 39,249 votes, Gerard Batten (UK Independence Party) 22,422 votes, Lindsey German (Left List) 16,796 votes, Matt O'Connor (English Democrats) 10,695 and Winston McKenzie (Independent) 5,389 votes.
In his acceptance speech a measured Mr Johnson thanked his family and campaign team as well as those Londoners who voted for him.
He also sought to reach out to those who didn't support him and paid warm tribute to his defeated rival who vowed to help the new Mayor.
After the declaration Johnson and Livingstone held a private meeting in a side room - see picture above.
Related links:
Boris Needs To Be Independent
Boris Johnson Profile
Mayor of London FAQ
2. at 14:24 on Saturday 3rd May 2008, franklin wrote:
I,m glad livingstone is out. He was the nickolae caucascu of london and he used the office for his own self-aggrandisement.He used public money for left wing and minority interests. He should be investigated and prosecuted
3. at 19:06 on Saturday 3rd May 2008, M. Moore wrote:
Congratulations Boris !
You must be feeling wonderful to have beaten Mr.Livingstone who has never lost an election in over 25years and even more so that it is a Conservative who achieved it!
I wish you all the very best in your new role.
4. at 21:35 on Saturday 3rd May 2008, ed wrote:
sorry franklin but since when has spending money on left wing interests been worthy of prosecution?
5. at 11:27 on Sunday 4th May 2008, gladto have moved to scotland wrote:
What a shame for London. The problems with Ken (like the problems with Clinton) are nothing compared to the problems Boris (like Bush) will effortlessly create. This is the end of New Labour (New Tories), the question is whether the progressive left can find a way of uniting its green strand (seeking to ensure wee still have a planet) and its red strand (trying to stop big business stealing and destroying our lives so that there is an alternative to posturing personalities (Boris or Blair - Brown doesn't even have that) that is not the BNP.
6. at 13:11 on Sunday 4th May 2008, Rizzo Franzi wrote:
It's a dark day for London now that they had elected a right wing racist as mayor. So sorry to see Ken go.
7. at 14:50 on Sunday 4th May 2008, Mike wrote:
Why do certain people vote Labour in araes like Haringey when Labour are Rubbish!
8. at 15:23 on Sunday 4th May 2008, Veronica Bruce-Williams wrote:
Many Congratulations to James Cleverly on his magnificent win for Bexley & Bromley and,on being selected as a GLA Member. Real boost for our Party. I wish you well and sure you would rise to the challenges ahead. I knew from the chat we had and your Opening Speech when Boris launched his Mayoral Campaign at County Hall, that you meant business and would go far.
With all good wishes
9. at 19:34 on Sunday 4th May 2008, Matthew wrote:
Mike, when the alternative is conservative what choice do people have other than Labour?
The real question is why did people vote for Boris Johnson? He has shown himself to be racist and homophobic yet is now in charge of the most culturally diverse city in the world. It just doesn't quite add up.
10. at 19:50 on Sunday 4th May 2008, Philippa wrote:
So glad to say farewell Ken, but just who was it voted for Boris
11. at 20:18 on Wednesday 7th May 2008, Joe wrote:
He is not a racist blah blah, your all being pre-judgemental, we don't even know what he is going to be like! Oh and I happened to know a little more about Ken than most and all I'm saying is he was all glamorous as people like to think. The fact is Boris will have to do well because of pressure from David Cameron, its more likely that he does a good job and regardless of his own views of gays etc, lol, they're not coming up in his policy which is all that matters, so stop your idiotic comments which are worthless!
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1. at 11:42 on Saturday 3rd May 2008, cllr m.t.j brace wrote:
Congratulations Boris on winning the Mayoral election.I do hope you do very well.On transport,police and crime you wont have to be a rocket scientist to sort these problems out. Once again well done.