Nicholas Bennett: It was Bromley wot won it

Nicholas Bennett, a Bromley councillor, Chairman of Beckenham Conservative Association and former MP and Minister, explains how the mayoral vote was got out in Bexley & Bromley.

"It was ‘Bromley that did for us" said a Minister, according to the Guardian so it must be true.

The Bexley and Bromley result was a superb tribute to the work done by the six and half constituencies which make up the GLA constituency. James Cleverly, our first rate candidate, was elected with a 75000 majority and took over half the votes cast. In the Mayoral poll Boris received 120000 votes to Livingstone’s 40000. The 80000 lead represents 58% of Boris’ majority.

The new Beckenham Constituency will be London’s safest Tory seat. Normally we specialise in mutual aid. At the last General Election we helped John Horam in his fantastic achievement to end the last vestige of Liberal taint in Orpington and at the next election we will be helping Gareth Johnson in Dartford, so to be a receiver of mutual aid was a new experience for us.