Boris Victory Adds To Labour Misery

By Sky News SkyNews - Saturday, May 3 03:58 am

Boris Johnson has been elected Mayor of London, adding to Labour's misery after disastrous local elections.

The Conservative candidate beat Ken Livingstone with Liberal Democrat Brian Paddick in third place.

Mr Johnson polled 1,168,738 votes to Mr Livingstone's 1,028,966. After second preferences were allocated, Mr Johnson achieved around 53% to Mr Livingstone's 47%.

The result put further pressure on Prime Minister Gordon Brown after his party suffered its worst council election results in four decades.

After the result was announced, the new mayor thanked his team and praised his opponents, particularly Mr Livingstone who he described as a "very considerable public servant".

And he promised Londoners: "I will work flat out from now on to earn your trust and to dispel some of the myths that have been created about me.

Mr Livingstone accepted defeat in the contest and said it was his own fault that he hadn't won a third election.

"You can't be mayor for eight years and then if you don't at third term say it was somebody else's fault. I accept that responsibility and I regret that I couldn't take you to victory," he said.

Conservative leader David Cameron and New York mayor Michael Bloomberg were among the first to congratulate Mr Johnson.

Mr Cameron hailed a "serious and energetic" campaign and "remarkable" victory.

A spokesman for Mr Johnson said that the New York mayor "passed on congratulations and said he would happily work with him for the good of both cities".

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