Mayor Johnson to stand down as MP

The win ends Ken Livingstone's eight-year reign at City Hall

Boris Johnson is to stand down as MP for Henley in Oxfordshire "as soon as possible", his team has confirmed.

Following his election as Mayor of London, he will talk to Conservative officials to arrange for his departure from the House of Commons.

Mr Johnson's resignation will spark a by-election in one of the Tory's safest seats, which he has held since 2001.

Mr Johnson will officially begin his new job as mayor of the capital at midnight on Sunday.

He will have to talk with the party, but in the next couple of days it will all become clear Spokesman for Mr Johnson

A spokesman for Mr Johnson said: "As soon as he can stand down, he will do so.

"He will have to talk with the party, but in the next couple of days it will all become clear."

Mr Johnson succeeded former Deputy Prime Minister Michael Heseltine as MP for Henley at the 2001 general election with a majority of 8,458. He was re-elected in 2005 with an improved majority of 12,793 and a 53% share of the vote.

In Thursday's elections, Mr Johnson won the race to become the next mayor of London with 1,168,738 first and second preference votes, compared with Labour candidate Ken Livingstone's 1,028,966. The turnout of voters was a record 45%.

He paid tribute to Mr Livingstone, who has been the mayor for the past eight years, and appeared to offer him a possible role in his new administration.

Liberal Democrat candidate Brian Paddick came third and the Greens' Sian Berry came fourth.

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