The flamboyant Oxford graduate defied the national backlash against the the Conservative Party to retain his position he had first been elected to in 2008.

But it was far closer than predicted, with Johnson beating rival Ken Livingstone by only three per cent.

The decision means that Johnson, 47, will be centre stage when the Games open in London on July 27.

"The world will see a city that is going through a neo-Victorian surge of investment in public transport, where the murder rate is down 25 per cent, and where the Olympic and Paralympic venues have been completed on-time and under budget," he said during his victory speech.

Johnson's win was one of very few Conservative Party triumphs in British local and regional elections that saw sweeping gains for the opposition Labour Party.

He won on second preference votes after failing to gain more than 50 per cent in the first round. 


In the process, Johnson ended the political career of Livingstone (pictured), who had played a leading role in London's successful bid to host the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics and had hoped to return to play a leading role in the Games.

"This is my last election. 41 years ago, almost to the day, I won my first election," he said.

"Since then I have won 11 more elections and lost three but the one I most regret losing is this."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
April 2012: Alan Hubbard - London needs Bojo to win to put some mojo into the Olympics