Kenneth Robert Livingstone | |
---|---|
1st Mayor of London | |
In office 4 May 2000 – 4 May 2008 | |
Deputy | Nicky Gavron 2004–2008 Jenny Jones 2003–2004 Nicky Gavron 2000–2003 |
Preceded by | Position created |
Succeeded by | Boris Johnson[1] |
Leader of the Greater London Council | |
In office 1984–1986 | |
Preceded by | John Wilson |
Succeeded by | Office abolished |
In office 1981–1984 | |
Preceded by | Horace Cutler |
Succeeded by | John Wilson |
Member of Parliament for Brent East | |
In office 11 June 1987 – 7 June 2001 | |
Preceded by | Reg Freeson |
Succeeded by | Paul Daisley |
Majority | 23,748 (67.33%) |
Personal details | |
Born | Lambeth, London, England | 17 June 1945
Nationality | British |
Political party | Labour (1968-2016, suspended) |
Spouse(s) | Christine Chapman (m. 1973-1982, divorced) Emma Beal (m. 2009-present) |
Children | 2 sons, 3 daughters |
Kenneth Robert Livingstone (born 17 June 1945) is a British socialist[2] politician. He has twice held the leading political role in London local government. First, he was leader of the Greater London Council from 1981 until the council was abolished in 1986. Secondly, he was the first Mayor of London, from its creation in 2000 until 2008. He was Labour Party Member of Parliament for Brent East between 1987 and 2001.
He was elected Mayor of London as an Independent candidate after the Labour Party decided not to nominate him as their candidate in the first mayoral elections. In January 2004, he was re-admitted to the Labour Party. As the official Labour Party candidate for Mayor in the June 2004 elections, he won with a total of 828,380 first- and second-preference votes. On 1 May 2008 Livingstone was defeated in his second re-election bid by Conservative candidate Boris Johnson.