The London mayoral election held on 1 May 2008 was the third contest for the new city-wide office created in 2000. It produced a change of party control when the Conservative candidate Boris Johnson defeated the incumbent, returning the mayoralty to a Conservative holder for the first time. The election was widely watched because the mayoralty has significant powers over transport, policing, planning and preparation for the 2012 Olympic Games.
Electoral system
London uses the supplementary vote system for mayoral elections. Voters mark a first and an optional second preference. If no candidate receives an absolute majority of first-preference votes, all but the two leading candidates are eliminated and second-preference votes from eliminated candidates are reallocated to those two. The candidate with the greater total after this redistribution wins.
Candidates and campaign themes
The contest featured the incumbent mayor and candidates from the main parties along with several smaller-party and independent hopefuls. Campaign debates focused on transport policy (including the congestion charge and public transport investment), crime and policing, housing and the city's readiness for the 2012 Olympics. The Conservative campaign emphasised change in direction on congestion and public spending while the incumbent defended his record on regeneration and services. Parties and candidates included representatives of Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats and smaller parties.
Result and significance
The final outcome was decided after second-preference votes were transferred, producing a relatively close victory for the Conservative candidate. The result brought a new political leadership to City Hall: the winner became only the second person to hold the office of Mayor of London. Political commentators regarded the outcome as an important indicator of public sentiment in the capital and a notable gain for the Conservative Party at the city level.
Aftermath and legacy
In office, the incoming mayor pursued priorities highlighted during the campaign, including changes in transport policy and a greater emphasis on cycling and road management. Some initiatives launched or expanded during his tenure—such as a large-scale public bicycle hire scheme and shifts in congestion policy—became visible features of London’s transport landscape. The election also influenced how national parties approached London in subsequent national campaigns, as control of the mayoralty proved an important political and administrative platform.
Overall, the 2008 mayoral election reshaped leadership at City Hall and set policy directions that affected London's transport, policing and urban planning in the years that followed. It remains a frequently cited example of how city-wide executive elections can shift local priorities and signal broader political trends.