09.05.16
Sadiq Khan elected mayor of London
As the final round of results from Thursday’s wide range of local and devolved elections came in it was revealed that London was set to have a Labour mayor.
Sadiq Khan gained 44% in the first round of voting, meaning results had to go to a second round because he failed to gain over 50%.
In the second round he beat Conservative rival Zac Goldsmith, winning 57% of the vote to become the capital’s first Muslim mayor.
The London mayoral elections offer consolation for Labour after the party slipped to third place, behind the Conservatives, in the Scottish parliament elections.
However, Labour ultimately had a net loss of just 18 council seats in England, against 14 for the Conservatives.
In London, the Green Party’s Sian Berry came third with 5.8% of the vote, ahead of the Liberal Democrats’ Caroline Pidgeon with 4.6%.
The London mayoral elections were marred by problems with voter registration at Barnet, with many voters being turned away.
Labour also won the night’s other mayoral elections, with Martin Rees winning in Bristol and Paul Dennett in Salford and Joe Anderson being re-elected in Liverpool.
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(Image c. Jonathan Brady from PA Wire/ Press Association Images)