Labour’s Sadiq Khan has been declared Mayor of London with a convincing win over Tory rival Zac Goldsmith after a long, drawn-out count and a bitterly fought campaign.
The 45-year old MP for Tooting emerged victorious after a campaign which will be remembered for accusations that the Conservatives used smear tactics and “dog whistling” over Mr Khan’s Muslim faith.
The count was delayed due to technical glitches, meaning a lengthy wait at City Hall until the announcement was made shortly after midnight.
Highgate councillor Sian Berry achieved a third place finish for the Green Party, ahead of Liberal Democrat Caroline Pidgeon and UKIP’s Peter Whittle.
Mr Khan said in his victory speech: “London is the greatest city in the world...I am deeply humbled by the hope and trust you have placed in me today.”
He said he wanted every Londoner to have the same opportunities he had been given, and repeated his clarion call that he will be a unifying Mayor.
Mr Khan added: “We’ve run a positive campaign and we’ve worked our socks off...I am so proud that London has today chosen hope over fear and unity over division.
“I hope that we will never be offered such a stark choice again.”
The son of a Pakistani bus driver, former human rights lawyer Mr Khan is London’s first Muslim mayor. He paid tribute to his late father in his acceptance speech, but made no mention of Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn.
The number of first place votes cast for each candidate were:
Sian Berry, Green Party: 150,673
David Furness, BNP: 13,325
George Galloway, Respect: 37,007
Paul Golding, Britain First: 31,372
Zac Goldsmith, Conservative: 909,755
Lee Harris, Cannabis is Safer Than Alcohol: 20,537
Sadiq Khan, Labour: 1,148, 716
Ankit Love, One Love Party: 4941
Caroline Pidgeon, Lib Dem: 120,005
Sophie Walker, Women’s Equality Party: 53,055
Peter Whittle, UKIP: 93,373
Prince Zylinski, Independent: 13,202
Second preference votes were 161,472 for Sadiq Khan and 84,859 for Zac Goldsmith.
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