London mayoral elections

Last updated

The London mayoral election for the office of mayor of London takes place every four years. The first election was held in May 2000, and five subsequent elections have taken place. The latest mayoral election took place in 2024.

Contents

Electoral system

The electoral system used for London mayor elections is first-past-the-post, where voters cast their vote for a candidate of their choice and the candidate who receives the most votes wins.

Prior to the Elections Act 2022, elections were held using the supplementary vote system, where voters express a first and second choice of candidate. If no candidate receives an absolute majority of first choice votes, all but the two leading candidates are eliminated, and the votes of those eliminated redistributed according to their second choice votes to determine the winner.

As with most elected posts in the United Kingdom, a candidate must pay a deposit to run in the election. The current deposit a candidate must pay is £10,000, which is returned if the candidate wins at least 5% of the first preference votes cast. The winner is elected for a fixed term of four years; there are no restrictions on the number of terms a Mayor may serve. Elections take place in May.

Results

Elections in the 2020s

2024

Mayor of London election 2 May 2024
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Sadiq Khan 1,088,225 43.8 +3.8
Conservative Susan Hall 812,39732.7-2.6
Liberal Democrats Rob Blackie145,1845.8+1.4
Green Zoë Garbett145,1145.8-2.0
Reform UK Howard Cox78,8653.1New
Independent Natalie Campbell 47,8151.9New
SDP Amy Gallagher34,4491.4+1.1
Animal Welfare Femy Amin29,2801.2New
Independent Andreas Michli26,1211.1New
Independent Tarun Ghulati24,7021.0New
Count Binface Count Binface 24,2601.00.0
Britain First Nick Scanlon20,5190.8New
London Real Brian Rose 7,5010.3-0.9
Majority276,00811.1
Rejected ballots11,1270.4
Turnout 2,495,55940.5-1.5
Registered electors 6,162,428
Labour hold Swing

2021

Incumbent Labour mayor Sadiq Khan won re-election against Conservative candidate Shaun Bailey.

Mayor of London election 6 May 2021
PartyCandidate1st round2nd round
 First round votes  Transfer votes 
TotalOf roundTransfersTotalOf round
Labour Sadiq Khan 1,013,72140.0%192,3131,206,03455.2%
Conservative Shaun Bailey 893,05135.3%84,550977,60144.8%
Green Siân Berry 197,9767.8%
Liberal Democrats Luisa Porritt 111,7164.4%
Independent Niko Omilana49,6282.0%
Reclaim Laurence Fox 47,6341.9%
London Real Brian Rose 31,1111.2%
Rejoin EURichard Hewison28,0121.1%
Count Binface Count Binface 24,7751.0%
Women's Equality Mandu Reid 21,1820.8%
Let London Live Piers Corbyn 20,6040.8%
Animal Welfare Vanessa Hudson16,8260.7%
UKIP Peter Gammons14,3930.6%
Independent Farah London11,8690.5%
Heritage David Kurten 11,0250.4%
Independent Nims Obunge9,6820.4%
SDP Steve Kelleher8,7640.3%
Renew Kam Balayev7,7740.3%
Independent Max Fosh 6,3090.2%
Burning Pink Valerie Brown5,3050.2%
Labour hold

Elections in the 2010s

2016

The 2016 London mayoral election was held on 5 May 2016. [1] The results were announced on 7 May at 00:30, despite British television news channel Sky News announcing Sadiq Khan as the winner hours earlier.

The incumbent mayor, Boris Johnson, did not run for re election for a third term in office, as he was elected the member of parliament for Uxbridge and South Ruislip in the 2015 General Election.

Mayor of London election 5 May 2016 [2]
PartyCandidate1st round2nd round
 First round votes  Transfer votes 
TotalOf roundTransfersTotalOf round
Labour Sadiq Khan 1,148,71644.2%161,4271,310,14356.8%
Conservative Zac Goldsmith 909,75535.0%84,859994,61443.2%
Green Siân Berry 150,6735.8%
Liberal Democrats Caroline Pidgeon 120,0054.6%
UKIP Peter Whittle 94,3733.6%
Women's Equality Sophie Walker 53,0552.0%
Respect George Galloway 37,0071.4%
Britain First Paul Golding 31,3721.2%
CISTA Lee Harris 20,5370.8%
BNP David Furness13,3250.5%
Independent Prince Zylinski13,2020.5%
One Love Ankit Love4,9410.2%
Labour gain from Conservative

2012

The Conservative mayor Boris Johnson was elected to a second term in office, defeating former Labour mayor Ken Livingstone. Livingstone announced his retirement from politics in his concession speech.

Mayor of London election 3 May 2012 [3]
PartyCandidate1st round2nd round
 First round votes  Transfer votes 
TotalOf roundTransfersTotalOf round
Conservative Boris Johnson 971,93144.0%82,8801,054,81151.5%
Labour Ken Livingstone 889,91840.3%102,355992,27348.5%
Green Jenny Jones 98,9134.5%
Liberal Democrats Brian Paddick 91,7744.2%
Independent Siobhan Benita 83,9143.8%
UKIP Lawrence Webb43,2742.0%
BNP Carlos Cortiglia 28,7511.3%
Conservative hold

Elections in the 2000s

2008

The incumbent Labour mayor, Ken Livingstone was defeated by Conservative candidate Boris Johnson, who became London's second mayor.

Mayor of London election 1 May 2008 [4]
PartyCandidate1st round2nd round
 First round votes  Transfer votes 
TotalOf roundTransfersTotalOf round
Conservative Boris Johnson 1,043,76143.2%124,9771,168,73853.2%
Labour Ken Livingstone 893,88737.0%134,0891,027,97646.8%
Liberal Democrats Brian Paddick 235,5859.8%
Green Siân Berry 77,3473.2%
BNP Richard Barnbrook 69,7103.2%
CPA Alan Craig 39,2491.6%
UKIP Gerard Batten 22,4221.2%
Respect Lindsey German 16,7960.7%
English Democrat Matt O'Connor 10,6950.4%
Independent Winston McKenzie 5,3890.2%
Conservative gain from Labour

2004

In June 2004, the second election was held. After being re-admitted to the Labour Party, Ken Livingstone was their official candidate. He won re-election after second preference votes were counted, with Steven Norris again coming second.

Mayor of London election 10 June 2004 [5]
PartyCandidate1st round2nd round
 First round votes  Transfer votes 
TotalOf roundTransfersTotalOf round
Labour Ken Livingstone 685,54836.8%142,842828,39055.4%
Conservative Steven Norris 542,42329.1%124,757667,18044.6%
Liberal Democrats Simon Hughes 284,64715.3%
UKIP Kellie Maloney 115,6666.2%
Respect Lindsey German 61,7313.3%
BNP Julian Leppert58,4073.1%
Green Darren Johnson 57,3323.1%
CPA Ram Gidoomal31,6982.2%
Ind. Working Class Lorna Reid9,4520.5%
Independent Tammy Nagalingam6,6920.4%
Labour gain from Independent

2000

The 2000 campaign was incident filled. The eventual winner, Ken Livingstone, reneged on an earlier pledge not to run as an independent, after losing the Labour nomination to Frank Dobson. The Conservative Party candidate, Jeffrey Archer, was replaced by Steven Norris after Archer was charged with perjury.

Mayor of London election 4 May 2000 [6]
PartyCandidate1st round2nd round
 First round votes  Transfer votes 
TotalOf roundTransfersTotalOf round
Independent Ken Livingstone 667,87739.0%108,540776,41757.9%
Conservative Steven Norris 464,43427.1%99,703564,13742.1%
Labour Frank Dobson 223,88413.1%
Liberal Democrats Susan Kramer 203,45211.9%
CPA Ram Gidoomal43,0602.4%
Green Darren Johnson 38,1212.2%
BNP Michael Newland33,5692.0%
UKIP Damian Hockney 16,3241.0%
Pro-Motorist Small ShopGeoffrey Ben-Nathan9,9560.6%
IndependentAshwin Tanna9,0150.5%
Natural Law Geoffrey Clements5,4700.3%
Independent win

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayor of London</span> Head of the government of Greater London

The mayor of London is the chief executive of the Greater London Authority. The role was created in 2000 after the Greater London devolution referendum in 1998, and was the first directly elected mayor in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steven Norris</span> British politician (born 1945)

Steven John Norris is a British Conservative Party politician and businessman. Norris served as Member of Parliament for Oxford East from 1983 to 1987. After narrowly losing that marginal seat in 1987 he re-entered the House of Commons at a by-election for Epping Forest in 1988, which he held until stepping down to focus on his business career in 1997. He was subsequently chosen by Conservative Party members to be the Conservative candidate for Mayor of London in 2000 and 2004 in which he secured 42% and 45% respectively, coming second to Ken Livingstone but ahead of the Conservative Party's vote share for the London Assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicky Gavron</span> British politician

Felicia Nicolette C. Gavron is a British politician who served as Deputy Mayor of London to Ken Livingstone from 2000 to 2003 and 2004 to 2008. She was a member of the London Assembly from 2000 to 2021 and was the former Labour candidate for the 2004 Mayor of London elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Biggs (London politician)</span> British politician, former Mayor of Tower Hamlets

John Robert Biggs is a British Labour Co-op politician who was Mayor of Tower Hamlets between 2015 and 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Val Shawcross</span> British Labour Co-op politician

Valerie Shawcross is a British politician who served as Deputy Mayor of London for Transport from 2016 to 2018. A member of the Labour Co-operative parties, she was Member of the London Assembly for Lambeth and Southwark from 2000 to 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2000 London mayoral election</span>

The 2000 London mayoral election was held on 4 May 2000 to elect the Mayor of London. It was the first election to the office established that year; the idea of a mayor of a Greater London Authority (GLA) had been included in Labour's 1997 election manifesto, and after their election a referendum in London was scheduled for May 1998, in which there was a 72% yes vote with a 34% turnout.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deputy Mayor of London</span> Executive officer within the Greater London Authority

A Deputy Mayor is a member of the London Mayoral cabinet, in the executive arm of the Greater London Authority. They serve as political advisors with responsibilities and powers corresponding to portfolios delegated by the Mayor. One of them must be designated as the Statutory Deputy Mayor, a member of the London Assembly who serves as the temporary Mayor during a vacancy or temporary incapacity of the Mayor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 London mayoral election</span>

The 2008 London mayoral election for the office of Mayor of London, England, was held on 1 May 2008. Conservative candidate Boris Johnson defeated incumbent Labour Mayor Ken Livingstone. It was the third London mayoral election, the previous elections being the first election in May 2000 and the second election in June 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 London Assembly election</span> Election in London

An election to the Assembly of London took place on 1 May 2008, along with the 2008 London mayoral election. The Conservatives gained 2 seats, Labour gained one seat, the Liberal Democrats lost two seats, and UKIP were wiped out. Notably, a candidate for the British National Party (BNP) was elected for the first time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 London mayoral election</span>

The 2012 London mayoral election was an election held on Thursday 3 May 2012, to elect the Mayor of London. It was held on the same day as the London Assembly election, and used a supplementary vote system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ken Livingstone</span> English politician and former Mayor of London (born 1945)

Kenneth Robert Livingstone is an English retired politician who served as the Leader of the Greater London Council (GLC) from 1981 until the council was abolished in 1986, and as Mayor of London from the creation of the office in 2000 until 2008. He also served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Brent East from 1987 to 2001. A former member of the Labour Party, he was on the party's hard left, ideologically identifying as a socialist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Copley</span> British Labour Co-op politician

Tom Phillip Copley is a British Labour Party and Co-operative Party politician, serving as the Deputy Mayor of London for Housing and Residential Development. He served as a London wide member of the London Assembly from 2012 to 2020 and is a former councillor on Lewisham Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 London mayoral election</span>

The 2016 London mayoral election was held on 5 May 2016 to elect the Mayor of London, on the same day as the London Assembly election. It was the fifth election to the position of mayor, which was created in 2000 following a referendum in Greater London. The election used a supplementary vote system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victoria Borwick</span> British politician

Victoria Lorne Peta Borwick, formally styled by marriagethe Lady Borwick, is a British politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 London Labour Party mayoral selection</span>

The London Labour Party mayoral selection of 2015 was the process by which the Labour Party selected its candidate for Mayor of London, to stand in the mayoral election on 5 May 2016. It was the first Mayoral selection process since 2002 not to feature Ken Livingstone as a candidate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 London mayoral election</span>

The 2021 London mayoral election was held on 6 May 2021 to elect the mayor of London. It was held simultaneously with elections for the London Assembly, other local elections across England and Wales, and devolved elections in Scotland and Wales. The mayoral and Assembly elections were to be held on 7 May 2020, but in March 2020 the government announced the election would be postponed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 London Assembly election</span> Delayed London local elections (held in 2021 rather than as planned in 2020)

The 2021 London Assembly election was held on 6 May 2021 to elect the members of the London Assembly, alongside the 2021 London mayoral election. The mayoral and Assembly elections were originally to be held on 7 May 2020, but on 13 March 2020 it was announced the election would be postponed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the sixth election since the Assembly was established in 2000. Due to the previous term being extended to 5 years, those elected would only serve a three-year term until the next election in 2024. The election was held on the same day in 2021 as other elections in the UK; the UK local elections, Scottish Parliament election, and Welsh Senedd election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 West of England mayoral election</span>

The 2021 West of England mayoral election was held on 6 May 2021 to elect the mayor of the West of England, on the same day as other local elections across the country. It was the second election for the role. The mayor was elected by the supplementary vote system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayoralty of Boris Johnson</span> 2008–2016 tenure as mayor of London by Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson served as mayor of London from 1 May 2008 until 5 May 2016, being elected in 2008 and reelected in 2012. During his mayoralty, Johnson oversaw the preparations and hosting of the 2012 Summer Olympics and oversaw the cycle hire scheme. He also with introduced the New Routemaster buses and the Thames cable car, while promoting the proposed Garden Bridge over the River Thames; the project was later abandoned after Johnson left office. Johnson also banned alcohol consumption on much of London's public transport.

The 2024 London mayoral election was held on 2 May 2024 to elect the next mayor of London. It took place simultaneously with elections to the London Assembly, some local council by-elections in London and regular local elections elsewhere in England and Wales. Following the Elections Act 2022, voting in this election took place under the first-past-the-post system for the first time, replacing the supplementary vote system. The results of the election were announced on 4 May 2024.

References

  1. "About London Elects". londonelects.org.uk. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  2. "Official election result declaration, London Elects" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 May 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  3. "London Elects - Declared Results". Greater London Authority. 4 May 2012. Archived from the original on 3 May 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  4. "2008 election results for the Mayor of London and the London Assembly". London Elects. 2 May 2008. Archived from the original on 3 May 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  5. "2004 election results for the Mayor of London and the London Assembly". London Elects. 10 June 2004. Archived from the original on 3 May 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  6. "2000 election results for the Mayor of London and the London Assembly". London Elects. 5 May 2000. Archived from the original on 3 May 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2013.