Boris Johnson Wins Clear Victory in West Central


Conservative candidate Kit Malthouse wins London Assembly Seat

Boris Johnson won more than half of the votes cast for London mayor in the West Central constituency, gaining almost 55% in last week’s local elections.

Ken Livingstone came a poor second with just over 28.5% of the vote while the Liberal Democrat candidate, Brian Paddick, won 8.29%.

The Conservative Party candidate, Kit Malthouse, meanwhile, won the West Central London Assembly seat, also taking just over 50% of the vote.

Labour’s Murad Qureshi came second with just over 21% while the Green Party candidate, Julia Stephenson, took third place with 10.14%. The Liberal Democrat candidate, Merlene Emerson, was fourth with 9.58%.

Malthouse and Johnson won in what was a generally successful night for the Conservative Party across the country.

Despite losing the West Central seat, Murad Qureshi was re-elected as a Londonwide Assembly member.

Just over 48% of the electorate turned up to vote in West Central – 13% higher than the number who voted in 2004.

Since the creation of the constituency in 2000, the seat has been held by Angie Bray, also a Conservative.

West Central comprises Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, and the City of Westminster.


Mayor results for West Central

Candidate name
Party
1st choice votes
1st choice %
2nd choice votes
Boris Johnson Conservative Party 91,515 54.83% 16,068
Ken Livingstone The Labour Party 47,705 28.58% 16,889
Brian Paddick Liberal Democrats 13,829 8.29% 46,700
Siân Berry Green Party 5,438 3.26% 25,199
Richard Barnbrook British National Party 1,883 1.13% 5,128
Alan Craig Christian Peoples Alliance and Christian Party 1,591 0.95% 4,687
Gerard Batten UK Independence Party 912 0.55% 7,018
Lindsey German Left List 900 0.54% 2,111
Matt O'Connor English Democrats 426 0.26% 4,403
Winston McKenzie Independent 260 0.16% 3,007

London Assembly results for West Central - Constituency assembly members

Candidate Party Votes Votes % Majority
Kit Malthouse Conservative Party 86,651 52.08% 51,381
Murad Qureshi The Labour Party 35,270 21.20% -
Julia Stephenson Green Party 16,874 10.14% -
Merlene Emerson Liberal Democrats 15,934 9.58% -
Paul Wiffen UK Independence Party 3,060 1.84% -
Alex Vaughan English Democrats 1,858 1.12% -
Explo Nani-Kofi Left List 1,630 0.98% -
Abby Dharamsey Independent 962 0.58%

May 2000 - Voting in the constituency for Mayor

Name Party 1st Pref % 2nd Pref * %
Steve Norris Con 44,954 38.8 13,256 14.1
Ken Livingstone Ind 40,176 34.7 10,741 11.4
Susan Kramer LD 11,609 10.0 27,937 29.7
Frank Dobson Lab 11.070 9.6 14,139 15.0
Darren Johnson Grn 2,680 2.3 13,224 14.1
Ram Gidoomal CPA 2,229 1.9 4,387 4.7
Michael Newland BNP 999 0.9 1,870 2.0
Damian Hockney UKIP 850 0.7 3,260 3.5
Geoffrey Ben-Nathan PMSS 495 0.4 1,531 1.6
Geoffrey Clements NL 396 0.3 1,384 1.5
Ashwin Kumar Tanna Ind 337 0.3 2,307 2.4
   Total votes %  
Turnout  115,795 30.9  
* 2nd preference votes are counted if no candidate receives more than 50% of 1st preference votes


First-past-the-post 2004

Name Party Votes %
Angie Bray Conservative 47,117 44.2
Kate Green Labour 28,838 27.0
Jon Burden Liberal Democrat 14,071 13.2
Julia Stephenson Green 12,254 11.5
Christine Blower London Socialist Alliance 2,720 2.6
Stephen Smith Homeless And Addicted 1,600 1.5
Majority   18,279 17.2
Turnout   106,600 30.9

Top-up seats (London-wide)

Name Votes %
Conservative 44,489 39.6
Labour 27,675 24.6
Greens 13,339 11.9
Liberal Democrats 12,530 11.2
Christian Peoples Alliance 3,032 2.7
Peter Tatchell 2,260 2.0
UK Independence Party 1,943 1.7
British National Party 1,627 1.4
London Socialist Alliance 1,439 1.3
Campaign Against Tube Privatisation 1,266 1.1
Socialist Labour Party 789 0.7
Pro-Motorist Small Shop 787 0.7
Natural Law Party 604 0.5
Communist Party of Britain 517 0.5
Total votes 18,279 17.2

15 May 2008