Johnson wins London mayoral race

Boris Johnson has won the race to become the next mayor of London - ending Ken Livingstone's eight-year reign at City Hall.

The Conservative candidate won with 1,168,738 first and second preference votes, compared with Mr Livingstone's 1,028,966 on a record turnout of 45%.

He paid tribute to Mr Livingstone and appeared to offer him a possible role in his new administration.

Lib Dem Brian Paddick came third and the Greens' Sian Berry came fourth.

Mr Johnson is expected to stand down as MP for Henley, triggering a by-election.

'Exuberant nerve'

After signing his official declaration of office at City Hall, he urged people to help build upon the "very considerable achievements of the last mayor of London".

In his victory speech, he described Mr Livingstone as "a very considerable public servant".

FIRST AND SECOND PREFERENCE VOTES Boris Johnson: 1,168,738 Ken Livingstone: 1,028,966 Analysis: Boris's big win The Boris Johnson Story

He added: "You shaped the office of mayor. You gave it national prominence and when London was attacked on 7 July 2005 you spoke for London."

Mr Johnson also paid tribute to his "courage and the sheer exuberant nerve with which you stuck it to your enemies, especially in New Labour".

Mr Johnson told Mr Livingstone he hoped to "discover a way in which the mayoralty can continue to benefit from your transparent love of London".

He said he would work to earn the trust of those that had opposed him, or who had hesitated before voting for him.

"I will work flat out to repay and to justify your confidence. We have a new team ready to go into City Hall.

"Where there have been mistakes we will rectify them, where there are achievements we will build on them, where there are neglected opportunities we will seize on them."

Livingstone 'sorry'

He promised to focus on crime by promoting 24-hour policing, transport, including promoting cycling, green spaces, affordable homes and getting value for money for taxpayers.

Mr Johnson's victory crowns the Conservative Party's May Day local election wins in England and Wales.

FIRST PREFERENCE VOTES Boris Johnson (Tory): 1,043,761 Ken Livingstone (Lab): 893,877 Brian Paddick (Lib Dem): 236,685 Sian Berry (Green): 77,374 Richard Barnbrook (BNP): 69,710 Alan Craig (Christian Choice): 39,249 Gerard Batten (UKIP): 22,422 Lindsey German (Left List): 16,796 Matt O'Connor (Eng Democrats): 10,695 Winston McKenzie (Ind): 5,389 Livingstone's highs and lows

He said he hoped it showed the party had changed "into a party that can be trusted after 30 years with the greatest, most cosmopolitan, multi-racial generous hearted city on earth".

Mr Livingstone's defeat ended what Gordon Brown called a "bad" day for Labour, in which it suffered its worst council results for 40 years.

Asked by the BBC what his views were on the poor Labour showing, Mr Johnson said: "The smart thing for Labour to do would be to quietly to remove Gordon Brown and install [Foreign Secretary David] Miliband, is my view, but I don't think they'll do it."

In his speech after the result was declared at City Hall, Mr Livingstone thanked the Labour Party for all its help with his campaign.

"There is absolutely nothing that I could have asked from the Labour Party that it didn't throw into this election, from Gordon Brown right the way down to the newest recruit, handing out leaflets on very wet, cold days.

"I'm sorry I couldn't get an extra few points that would take us to victory and the fault for that is solely my own. 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."

However, Justice Secretary Jack Straw said Labour as a whole should shoulder the blame for Mr Livingstone's loss.

He told BBC News: "I disagree with Ken in one particular only, that we all share the responsibility for the defeat that he suffered yesterday."

Mr Straw admitted that the row over the 10p tax rate had left some voters "understandably very upset".

The government would get behind Londoners' decision at the polls, he added.

Conservative Party leader David Cameron praised Mr Johnson for a "serious and energetic campaign" and said his party was "winning the battle of ideas".

Liberal Democrat candidate Brian Paddick paid tribute to Ken Livingstone as "an amazing mayor" and indicated that he would not be interested in working with Mr Johnson.

He said he would be talking to Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg about his future and what he could do for the party.

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