Boris Johnson has been elected Mayor of London, capping a catastrophic day for Labour in the local elections.

The Conservative candidate seized City Hall from Labour's two-term incumbent Ken Livingstone with Liberal Democrat Brian Paddick in third place.

Mr Johnson polled 1,168,738 votes to Mr Livingstone's 1,028,966.

The result heaped further pressure on Prime Minister Gordon Brown after his party plunged to its worst council election results in four decades.

Mr Johnson thanked his team and heaped praise on his opponents, particularly Mr Livingstone whom he described as a "very considerable public servant".

He appeared to offer a possible role for the former mayor in his new administration before pledging to make greater London "greater still".

He finished with the words: "Let's get cracking tomorrow - let's have a drink tonight."

Mr Livingstone said he took full responsibility for his defeat and paid tribute to the Labour Party, including Gordon Brown, for the support he had been given.