instance_of london mayoral election
The ___MASK64___ of London is an elected ___MASK91___ who , along with the London Assembly of 25 members , is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London . The current mayor is Sadiq Khan , who took up office on 9 ___MASK43___ 2016 . The position had been held by Ken Livingstone from the creation of the role on 4 ___MASK43___ 2000 until he was defeated in 2008 by Boris Johnson , who served two terms before being succeeded by Khan . Kenneth Robert " Ken " Livingstone ( born 17 ___MASK49___ 1945 ) is an English ___MASK91___ 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 suspended member of the Labour Party , he was on the party ' s hard left , ideologically identifying as a democratic socialist . Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson ( born 19 ___MASK49___ 1964 ), known as Boris Johnson , is a British ___MASK91___ , popular historian , author , and journalist . He has been UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs since July 2016 and a Member of Parliament ( MP ) for the Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency since ___MASK43___ 2015 . He had previously been an MP for the Henley constituency from 2001 to 2008 and was later Mayor of London from 2008 to 2016 . A member of the Conservative Party , Johnson identifies as a " one - nation conservative " and has been associated with both economically and socially liberal policies . Born in New York City to wealthy upper - middle class English parents , Johnson was educated at the European School of Brussels , Ashdown House School , and Eton College . He studied Classics at Balliol College , Oxford , where he was elected president of the Oxford Union in 1986 . Beginning his career in journalism at " The Times " before being sacked for inventing a quote , he later became " The Daily Telegraph " s Brussels correspondent , with his articles exerting a strong influence on growing Eurosceptic sentiment among the British right - wing . He was assistant editor from 1994 to 1999 before taking the editorship of " The Spectator " from 1999 to 2005 . Joining the Conservatives , he was elected MP for Henley in 2001 , and under Michael Howard and David Cameron he was in the Shadow Cabinet . Mostly adhering to the Conservatives ' party line , he nevertheless adopted a more socially liberal stance on issues like LGBT rights in parliamentary votes . Making regular television appearances , writing books , and remaining active in journalism , Johnson became one of the most conspicuous politicians in Britain . Selected as Conservative candidate for the London ___MASK48___ of 2008 , Johnson defeated Labour incumbent Ken Livingstone and resigned his seat in parliament . During his first term as mayor , he banned alcohol consumption on public transport , championed London ' s financial sector , and introduced the New Routemaster buses , cycle hire scheme , and Thames cable - car . In 2012 , he was re - elected mayor , again defeating Livingstone ; during his second term he oversaw the 2012 Summer Olympics . In 2015 he was elected MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip , stepping down as mayor the following year . In 2016 , Johnson became a prominent figure in the successful Vote Leave campaign to withdraw the United Kingdom from the European Union . Johnson is a controversial figure in British politics and journalism . Supporters have praised him as an entertaining , humorous , and popular figure with appeal beyond traditional Conservative voters . Conversely , he has been criticised by figures on both the left and right , accused of elitism , cronyism and laziness , and using racist language . Johnson is the subject of several biographies and a number of fictionalised portrayals . The first ___MASK25___ to the ___MASK21___ of Mayor of London took place on 4 ___MASK43___ 2000 . The ___MASK25___ was won by Independent candidate , Ken Livingstone , who solidly defeated the Conservative candidate Steven Norris in what remains the largest margin of victory for a mayoral candidate . This remains the last ___MASK25___ which was not won by a candidate representing the Labour Party or Conservative Party . The percentage of the popular vote which was won by Ken Livingstone remains the largest ever achieved by a winning candidate for mayor . Sadiq Aman Khan ( born 8 ___MASK50___ 1970 ) is a British ___MASK91___ and the current Mayor of London since ___MASK43___ 2016 . He was the Member of Parliament ( MP ) for Tooting from 2005 to 2016 . A member of the Labour Party , he is situated on the party ' s soft left and has been ideologically characterised as a social democrat . The London ___MASK9___ is an elected body , part of the Greater London Authority , that scrutinises the activities of the Mayor of London and has the power , with a ___MASK16___ - thirds majority , to amend the Mayor ' s annual ___MASK33___ and to reject the Mayor ' s draft statutory strategies . The assembly was established in 2000 and meets at ___MASK6___ on the South Bank of the River Thames , close to Tower Bridge . The assembly is also able to investigate other issues of importance to Londoners ( transport , environmental matters , etc .), publish its findings and recommendations , and make proposals to the Mayor .