9.55am: Watch David Cameron leap for joy when it's finally confirmed that Boris has won
9.52am: The earlier editions of the morning papers (as the night wore on some of them became more Boris-centred). Click on the image to enlarge:
1.22am: Watch Boris Johnson's victory speech
12.46am: ConservativeHome doesn't share Boris Johnson's generous assessment of Ken Livingstone although we respect Boris for being kind in victory. As Mayor, Ken Livingstone cuddled up to some of the world's most odious dictators - including Chavez and Castro - and also invited Islamic extremists to London - notably Yusuf al-Qaradawi. He was an embarrassment to London and we are delighted he is no longer the Mayor of our capital city. Muslim supremacists have lost their greatest western political ally. Over on the Platform, Paul Goodman MP looks at how Muslim extremists attempted to keep Livingstone in office and how moderate, mainstream Muslims are increasingly playing a role in the Conservative Party.
12.15am: David Cameron's statement:
“Three years ago the idea that the Conservatives would win London and build up a 20 point lead across the county would have been literally unthinkable. London is one of the most diverse, vibrant, successful and important cities in the world- and in Boris Johnson it is now has a Conservative Mayor. Boris ran a serious and energetic campaign and deserves his remarkable victory. Britain is crying out for real change and it is the Conservative party - modernised and united - that is winning the battle of ideas. We’ve shown there is an alternative. We must now prove it. But I believe that my party – the Conservative Party – is ready to step up for Britain”
12.06am: Mainstream candidates left the stage when BNP's Barnbrook starts to speak.
Midnight: Ken Livingstone makes emotional speech. Promises to help new administration. Wins standing ovation.
11.58pm: Boris makes VERY generous tribute to Ken Livingstone and hopes that he will continue to serve London in some way. Ends speech by saying... Let's get cracking tomorrow and have a drink tonight.
11.45pm: Sky reporting that Boris leads 43% to 37% on first preferences.
11.33pm: Due imminently.
Calling it for Boris. You heard it here first..........
Posted by: Matthew | May 02, 2008 at 23:46
Do you remember 1997? Don't go to bed. Were you up for Boris?
Posted by: Londoner | May 02, 2008 at 23:51
Just got back from my count. We got a really good result in Havering & Redbridge after an enthusiastic campaign, supported by many volunteers in the constituency and travelling from further afield.
My grateful thanks to everyone who helped us to retain this seat with more than double the 2004 majority.
Posted by: Roger Evans | May 02, 2008 at 23:53
Congratulations Roger.
Posted by: Deputy Editor | May 02, 2008 at 23:56
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Gordon's Missing Bottle | May 02, 2008 at 23:56
I like the way they cut the loony Green candidate off.
Posted by: Will Stobart | May 03, 2008 at 00:07
Well done Boris on a fantastic campaign and a great speech. Even Tessa Jowell is being gracious and paying tribute to Boris' acceptance. This is a truly fantastic end to a great 48 hours for the Conservative Party and marks the beginning of our return to government.
Posted by: chrisblore | May 03, 2008 at 00:11
Fantastic speech from Boris; and pretty good from Livingstone too. Where are all the anti-Cameron whingers and all the people who thought Boris would blow it? Where are they now? Have a good drink anyone left standing. FANTASTIC. The best election night since 1987 (unlike 1992, we deserved this one!!)
Posted by: Londoner | May 03, 2008 at 00:13
I was sad they cut Sian Berry off as she seems a good egg - but I was delighted to spot that the four previous candidates left the stage when that BNP tool stepped forward to bleat.
Posted by: Matthew Dear | May 03, 2008 at 00:14
A good night for YouGov too!
Posted by: Matthew | May 03, 2008 at 00:16
Has Boris just received more votes than any other individual candidate in British electoral history? I stand corrected but I think so.
Not bad for an Old Etonian toff buffoon, eh?
Posted by: Londoner | May 03, 2008 at 00:17
I still thought Ken would sneak it, right up until the second preferences were read out.
The Head of YouGov put his job on the line, and he's still got it come Monday morning. Good man.
Posted by: Edison Smith | May 03, 2008 at 00:19
Well done Boris! and I was especially pleased to see James Cleverly a winner in his election.
Also well done Tim, Sam and all at CHome.
Posted by: Ted | May 03, 2008 at 00:24
Well done to Tony Arbour who fought a difficult campaign against Stephen Knight in the South West assembly seat.
Knight thought he had it in the bag and actually gave up his job at the London Councils so he could take on the assembly job.
Rather glad you kept Knight off the assembly he's as left as Polly Toynbee.
Posted by: Derek Tomnay | May 03, 2008 at 00:29
Excellent. Congratulations Boris .
By the way Boris is keenly aware of the discrimination which England suffers in the post 1998 British Union and wants something concrete done about it.
In the case of London , one of England's greatest assets, what is needed is above all a city manager. Not someone who is particularly party political but someone who will bring energy and intelligence to addressing the many interconected problems of running this vast city - problems which have been neglected for so long.
Posted by: Jake | May 03, 2008 at 00:29
Brilliant stuff.
A great 24hrs for our great party.
Posted by: Jaz | May 03, 2008 at 00:29
Question is, will Boris grasp the nettle and cut off funding to all of Ken's client voters?
Posted by: Richard | May 03, 2008 at 00:33
I've always liked Boris Johnson (a good Kenneth Clarke Tory) but I must disagree with his tone of his speech. He came across as a likable buffoon and was distinctly lacking in real gravitas. Ireland is nation of heavy drinkers but even the hardest Irish politician wouldn't conclude a victory speech with 'let's have a drink tonight!' Why not just say 'Let's celebrate!'?
Posted by: Irish Observer | May 03, 2008 at 00:33
Are you watching Hazel Blears?
Well done Boris, you showed great dignity when many were treating you in a disgraceful way. This is a deserved victory.
Posted by: Tony Makara | May 03, 2008 at 00:33
Toynbee: "It woz the Standard that won it."
She needs to grow up.
Posted by: Edison Smith | May 03, 2008 at 00:38
I'm so happy, but I'm also exhausted! I've pretty much been sifting through the media for the last day and a half trying to keep up with everything. It's almost a relief for it all to be over.
But a great result - not least considering the amount of rubbish that has been chucked at BJ in the campaign. I do hope he now builds on his success at the polls to become a successful mayor.
So, so happy! :)
Posted by: David (One of many) | May 03, 2008 at 00:43
Whoever gor the vote out in Bromley & Bexley deserves a big glass of champs!
Posted by: Edison Smith | May 03, 2008 at 00:47
Where are Labour spinners?
"It's a mid term election, we have listened to the people's message...blah blah blah...."
Posted by: Me | May 03, 2008 at 00:49
My wife and I were decimated after a lifetime of saving by Brown and Blair. We are ordinary and intelligent hard working people and these ar..holes wrecked our pensions. I am now retired. I love people of all persuations and I hate bigots. Labour class warriors neglect my kind and trample over achievement and hard work. They substitute endeavour and ambition with bigotry and dogma. We need a Conservative Government. London is a great step. Boris, I think you will be great!
Posted by: m dowding | May 03, 2008 at 00:51
Derek Tomnay - I am an activist in South West London. Stephen Knight is a typical example of the dirty tricks of the Yellow Peril. He fought a dirty campaign - the lynchpin being a quote from Tony Arbour which was a total distortion/lie of what he actually said. And Knight is Richmond Council's deputy leader - so that tells you all about their tactics generally. But then they took the council off the Conservatives on a pack of lies so nothing new there!
I am DELIGHTED the Yellow Peril in South West London have had a 'kick up the ballots' [to paraphrase a 'red top' about Comrade Livingstone]. And Tony greatly increased his majority!
Posted by: Jill, London | May 03, 2008 at 00:53
"Boris, save the cost of the phone call" (I paraphrase). What an idiotic thing for Paddick to say. He was never cut out for this.
Posted by: Saltmaker | May 03, 2008 at 00:55
Saltmaker - No wonder Pad-dick stood for teh Yellow Peril - he's as nasty as the rest of them!
I think Boris was far too gracious to Pad-dick - he certainly didn't deserve it considering Pad-dick didn't have a good word to say for him - even at the end!
Posted by: Jill, London | May 03, 2008 at 01:00
Do you think Simon Heffer will eat his words now and apologise or attacking Boris 2 days before the election? and what about Cameron's performance across the country?
Methinks the Telegraph should dump sore losers like Heffer who have nothing good to say about the Current Leadership of our party. Heffer harks to the bad old days of the old grandees who sent us to Siberia.
Thank YOu Cameron and Boris for bringing us back in from the cold.
Posted by: RMA | May 03, 2008 at 01:17
Paddick is a rude, ineffectual dick.
Livingstone gave a great speech.
Johnson even better.
How does top up work out please, anybody?....do the Conservatives make up their loss of Harrow and Brent in numbers.....and what top ups do the other parties get...have the UKIP and BNP failed?
Posted by: eugene | May 03, 2008 at 01:22
Conservatives have three top up seats taking them to 11 in the Assembly.
Andrew Boff
Victoria Borwick
Gareth Bacon
So Boris Budget safe
Conservative Party 11 Gain 2
The Labour Party 8 Gain 1
Liberal Democrats 3 Loss -2
Green Party 2 No change
British National Party 1 Unfortunate Gain of 1
http://results.londonelects.org.uk/Results/AssemblyResults.aspx
Posted by: Ted | May 03, 2008 at 01:38
Fantastic 24 hours for the Conservative Party. We are hopefully on the way back to government.
When are results of top-up anyone?
Posted by: ToryNorth | May 03, 2008 at 01:44
Congratulations from across the pond. It will be interesting to see what changes are possible. Self-protection against home invasion? Traffic control? Islamic integration? Immigration changes? Sometimes we follow your lead - pick a path through this mess.
Posted by: John Lynch | May 03, 2008 at 01:50
Brilliant news, a nail biting finish although Boris lead from the start. A new dawn for London. I am proud to have campaigned for Boris. Our faith is vindicated. Those who said he cannot do it will be eating their words tonight. Boris is going to prove to be the best Mayor that London has ever had.
Well done Boris!
Posted by: Tim For Change | May 03, 2008 at 01:53
Congratulations to Tony Arbour on a fantastic result in South West London, with a near 27,000 majority. He deserved it.
The Yellow Peril ran a particularly silly campaign - and they've been given the big E. I also noticed they only polled 13% in the Mayoral vote in SW London - an appalling result for that area, even though the whole of London mainly focused on the Conservative-Labour contest.
Generous speeches by Boris and Ken. Nasty speech by Paddick - particularly as people were generous to him.
An exciting Con-Lab contest of the old kind in London.
Posted by: Joe James Broughton | May 03, 2008 at 01:59
Still up for my sins. Just wanted to thank everyone at ConservativeHome for your excellent election coverage on what has been two wonderful days.
Posted by: Sam Mahboubian | May 03, 2008 at 03:32
Boris Johnson President 2012?
He was born in New York. He could run for President of the US. Run Boris, run!
He'd certainly be better than the Three Stooges we have running now.
Posted by: Cthulhu 2008 | May 03, 2008 at 03:48
Where are all the anti-Cameron whingers
Still here, sadly.
Despite the good results - and I'm as happy as anyone despite the candidate I worked for not getting in - on Tuesday morning when the fuss has died down, the bottles are in the recycling bin, and the squeakers lying soggy in the gutters - two things will still be true.
(1) The Conservatives did not win this election (still less David Cameron personally). Labour lost it. There is a difference.
(2) Cameron still hasn't put forward much more than platitudes as a plan for govt. There is no commitment to roll back the state, no coherent philosophy on the constitution, nothing but waffle on the EU. Cameron is in danger of turning into a second Heath - a stunning election victory followed by four years of indecision and failure.
Posted by: Alex Swanson | May 03, 2008 at 06:31
This “close” result on the back of deep unpopularity of both Labour and Livingstone demonstrates how far Labour have gone in the manipulation of Democracy.
They have successfully put into practice the Morrison plan named after Herbert Morrison who said that he would "build the Tories out of London", i.e. build enough council housing to ensure the left had the majority of voters.
They have also done their utmost to make as many as possible dependant on social handouts. The plan has included far more insidious strategies which have destroyed the social and material fabric of the once prosperous areas of the city.
Posted by: Malcolm Shykles | May 03, 2008 at 07:57
A marvellous two days for David Cameron and a marvellous night for Boris. Well done to everyone throughout the country who had a hand in making this emphatic defeat of Labour and Gordon Brown possible.
David Cameron has shown real leadership and his summing up was spot on; the conservatives will not get back into government purely on the back of a failing one. They will have to work to deserve victory in the GE.
Consolidation is now the name of the game... but that can wait until after the thoroughly well deserved celebrations!
Posted by: David Belchamber | May 03, 2008 at 07:59
The first things my kids said when I told them was "will he bring the old London buses back?"
I hope so. Well done Boris. This should be fun!
Posted by: Chad Noble | May 03, 2008 at 08:46
I've never liked Ken, politically or personally, but I thought his concession speech was very good and extremely gracious
The Canabis Cop could learn a lot from Ken and Boris
Posted by: Paul D | May 03, 2008 at 08:48
Well done Boris and DC. What a fantastic 24 hours! Lets now keep the pressure on - I feel a majority of 120 coming our way.
Can anyone tell me why Skynews and the BBC counts differ with all the councils called?
Sky
-434 - LAB
+300 - CON
+ 33 - LD
BBC
-331 - LAB
+256 - CON
+ 34 - LD
Posted by: Robbie | May 03, 2008 at 08:55
Since the following comments are re-cycled, thought there was no rush in breaking from celebrations to do so last night.
Nick Robinson, 6th October 2007: -
"Gordon Brown will probably be sitting down with a cup of tea and saying: 'Oh Dear, Oh Dear, Oh Dear', and that's the broadcastable version!
Posted by: Sam R | May 03, 2008 at 09:26
And massive congratulations to James Cleverly in getting elected to the London Assembly. Brilliant result for him.
Posted by: James Maskell | May 03, 2008 at 10:02
@AlexSwanson: The argument has always been that oppositions never win elections, the government looses them.
That's how democracy works. Labour is making and continuing to make, a dog's dinner out of it all, proving that the Brownite Faction isn't all that hot. Especially when considered to the almost unkillable Blairite factions [Or Tory-Lites as I joking refer to them]
We should all be jubilant at this genuinely historic victory against Labour across the board, the BBC website's map of councils has literally turned black and blue for Labour and is a poignant reminder at how well the revamped Tories are doing. I'll also note that last time the Tories announced any policies the Government took them, "rinsed them down" and then applied them [Inheritence tax anyone?]
If you check the conservatives websites and their heavy "Agenda" .pdf's you can see the building blocks to some incredibly devastating and coherent, and dare I say it, common sense, policies.
While we're all celebrating, we shouldn't forget that the BNP now has a major seat in a major governmental body right at the heart of our country. The party itself is valid, it's views are not and this is the prime opportunity to strike them while the iron is hot. They're making small gains that could snowball on all of us if we're not careful. We need to start wading into and engaging with the BNP to show them up and deny their policies, this may give them a larger platform, but their "word of mouth" method IS beginning to work.
Posted by: James, Swadlincote | May 03, 2008 at 10:15
Well done folks- a bad night for Labour, dunno where they will go from here
Posted by: comstock | May 03, 2008 at 10:35
Robbie re Sky/BBC discrepancy:
It's to do with some Councils being new Councils from re-organisations. Whilst Sky counts them in the BBC has ignored such areas. Clearly this means the BBC is understating it but I haven't got the appetiote to think through whether it also means Sky is overstating it.
I was interested in the comment above that "the budget is safe" with 11 GLA members out of 25. Does it not have to get a majority or does it need two thirds to reject it? For a majority Boris would need to get either LDems or Green on his side. it is extremely good that BNP would not give a majority anyway so they can be safely ignored not only on principle but on base political grounds too.
I think Boris should cuddle up a bit to the Lib Dems. Having been reduced from 5 to 3 seats, they may feel the need to be appreciated. Paddick showed himself a complete light weight both in his speech and interviews afterwards. What an idiot saying he voted Left List second pref - Clegg must have loved that, and made a strong resolution never to out the man in a prominent party position again!
Posted by: Londoner | May 03, 2008 at 11:03
Two more bits of good news;
-Stanley Johnson wants to be the next MP for Henley
-YouGov were the most accurate - as well as the most generous - forecaster of the mayoral result. They overestimated the LibDem share by 3%, and bearing in mind they tend to give the LibDems the lowest figures out of all the polling organisations. That's very bad news for the LibDems if replicated on the national polls.
Posted by: Votedave | May 03, 2008 at 11:11
I hope Boris will as a first priority explore the contractual arrangements with Capita and gives the full financials of the congestion tax scam.
It is worth remembering that whilst Boris has won London with less than 20% of the electorate voting for him this percentage in a GE will not deliver the country.
Posted by: michael mcgough | May 03, 2008 at 11:14
Is there a link to Paddick's speech anywhere? And was it as cringeworthy and incoherent as Barnbrook's (which is on the BBC site)?
Posted by: Paul Oakley | May 03, 2008 at 12:33
"YouGov were the most accurate"
Yes, they were the least inaccurate.
3 days before the polls Mori etc had a close Ken win, and YouGov had a 11% win for Boris, both were wrong by a similar % though Stephan clearly edges it by calling the right result.
I think this mayoral election was a bad experience for pollsters as a whole though, as election day calls aside, it has shown that polls even just 72 hours before a vote were way off, so polls any further than a few hours before polling really don't give any real predictive indicator of the final result.
Anyway, today is more a day for Conservatives to celebrate than gripe about inaccurate polls, and as sun is burning down here in sw France, we can all enjoy the day! :-)
Posted by: Chad Noble | May 03, 2008 at 12:35
The London Elects website does not give full details of rejected 2nd preference votes.
Posted by: michael mcgough | May 03, 2008 at 12:40
The rejected 1st preference votes at over 40k ,total more than that received by each of six of the candidates ,and more than three of these aggregated.Perhaps in future we need to give instruction in ALL of the 300+ languages in use in London today.
Posted by: steward's inquiry | May 03, 2008 at 12:45
Congratulations to Mayor Boris and all his hardworking team team and all re-elected and new London AMs. I am particularly delighted that on the top-ups Andrew Boff got in having been my hard working fellow eurocandidate in 1999 and that my old friend Victoria Borwick was elected as otherwise we would have had not a single woman AM having previously had 2, and Angie Bray will be sorely missed in my view.
When canvassing on wednesday in Bromley I could see that the turn-out would be good as there was such interest in the contest. I think this election vindicates DC's view that directly elected powerful Mayors are the way ahead to bring back some vim and vigour to local politics where turnouts had been falling in recent years, and although I know many Tories prefer the figurehead ceremonial Mayor model I think exec Mayors (US and European style) are the future.
The next major elections will be the Europeans so with this kind of result we might conceivably capture a 4th MEP seat for London in June 2009!
Posted by: Charles Tannock MEP | May 03, 2008 at 13:13
Good job Boris. To be honest i never thought he was in with a chance. But for once the electorate did the right thing and gave ken a kick in the mouth.
Posted by: Conservative Homer | May 03, 2008 at 13:59
"(2) Cameron still hasn't put forward much more than platitudes as a plan for govt. There is no commitment to roll back the state, no coherent philosophy on the constitution, nothing but waffle on the EU."
Posted by: Alex Swanson | May 03, 2008 at 06:31
Oh gawd, even to-night we get this rubbish. Alex Swanson I am envious. I could never afford to live in the middle of the Brazilian jungle without a radio for the last three years.
Posted by: David Sergeant | May 03, 2008 at 17:18
Great result for Boris, he deserves it..
I bet the next leader of labour is a woman
Posted by: Martin Cakebread | May 03, 2008 at 17:30
Having enjoyed participating in the live blog yesterday afternoon/evening - thank you Sam and friends who kept it running - I haven't congratulated Mayor Johnson on his stunning success - for which we are all extremely grateful. I am an activist in SW London and am delighted that Tony Arbour now enjoys a huge majority. We all played our part, but the biggest thanks must go to Bexley and Bromley for the enormous turnout.
Posted by: Jill, London | May 03, 2008 at 17:49
Excellent! Excellent! Wonderful news and good for London!
But do I detect correctly this wasn't the result the BBC wanted? On R4 this morning, a commentator commented how Brian Paddick was asked what his second preference was. Did I hear correctly that the answer was he voted for the Left List candidate as the one closest to his views. (What does this say about the Lib Dems?). But the BBC commentator pondered why Paddick didn’t urge people to vote for Livingstone in their second preferences, suggesting Boris wasn't sufficiently horrible enough (note the apparent BBC expectation that Tories are naturally horrible) for other candidates to recommend voting to keep him out. So it seems the BBC blames Paddick for what could have been for them a result they wouldn’t have preferred.
Posted by: Philip | May 03, 2008 at 18:34
And I note the mainstream candidates understandably left the platform when the BNP candidate started to speak. But what was their attitude to the Green candidate? A Green spokesperson recently urged a Chinese-style policy of restrictions on the number of children families can have (non-coercive of course – but I ask where do you draw the line and how long would it take for such a policy to become coercive?), for the sake of the environment presumably. Such an odious idea must be at least as bad and oppressive as the BNP. But of course the end justifies the means: if an otherwise evil policy is pursued for the sake of the environment, to tackle 3rd world starvation or other good reasons, or even trendy causes (equality, no-restraints liberalism…) then that policy becomes good.
Posted by: Philip | May 03, 2008 at 18:56
If you want to truly wind up any passing socialist - assuming you can find one - point out that the combined vote of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Bethnall Green and the Bethnall Green Popular Front - otherwise known as Respect, George Galloway and the Left List, would have been sufficient to win them the last Assembly top-up seat and keep out the BNP.
Posted by: John Moss | May 03, 2008 at 22:21
A few people have mentioned the Bexley & Bromley result and having been responsible for organising the campaign in Old Bexley & Sidcup it was heartening to see the many months of hard work result in such a stunning victory. Boris polled an incredible 60% of the vote in Bexley & Bromley that compares with 37% that Steve Norris got in 2004.
I was delighted to see James Cleverly win so well too with a majority of over 75,000 and to put the icing on the cake Gareth Bacon a Bexley Councillor was one of our top ups on the assembly.
Posted by: Graham D'Amiral | May 04, 2008 at 09:55