Mr Ken Livingstone was today facing a second-round play-off against the Conservative, Mr Steve Norris, to become the first elected Mayor of London.
On a turnout estimated in the low 30s, the BBC predicted 42 per cent for Mr Livingstone against 25 per cent for Mr Norris on the first count, rising to a winning 51 per cent after the elimination of the other candidates.
The poll of 3,000 voters showed Labour's candidate, Mr Frank Dobson, scraping into third ahead of the Liberal Democrat's Ms Susan Kramer. With the Conservatives set to gain at least 400 council seats, Mr Livingstone said it were "a wake-up call" telling Labour it could not take the next election for granted.
