Boris Johnson is the new Mayor of London. In a contest that has fascinated media all over the world, Boris beat his rival, the eight-year incumbent Mayor Ken Livingstone, by 139,772 votes. The election drew a record turnout by London voters, reflecting the high profile of the two main candidates.

Political commentators describe Boris as the most powerful elected Conservative politician in Britain today. As such, he has promised to work “flat out” to repay the confidence of Londoners and to make Greater London “greater still”.