Sadiq Khan elected London mayor

Labour's Sadiq Khan has been elected Mayor of London, breaking the Conservatives' eight-year hold on City Hall and becoming the first Muslim mayor of a major Western city.

Mr Khan took 1,310,143 votes after second preferences were taken into account, beating Conservative Zac Goldsmith into second place on 994,614. His tally gave him the largest personal mandate of any politician in UK history.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn led congratulations on Twitter using the hashtag YesWeKhan and telling the new mayor: "Can't wait to work with you to create a London that is fair for all".

But there were recriminations from Mr Goldsmith's side over his decision to target the Tooting MP as a "radical" and highlight his supposed links with Islamist extremists.

Conservative former Cabinet minister Baroness Warsi said the "appalling dog whistle campaign" had "lost us the election, our reputation and credibility on issues of race and religion", and Goldsmith's own sister Jemima said the way the contest was fought "did not reflect who I know him to be".

David Cameron's former adviser Steve Hilton said the Richmond Park MP had brought back the "nasty party label" which Tories have fought to shake off.

Mr Khan delivered a barbed judgment on the Goldsmith campaign in his acceptance speech at City Hall, when he promised to be "a mayor for all Londoners".

Without naming his Tory rival, he said Labour had fought a "positive" campaign, adding: "This election was not without controversy and I am so proud that London has today chosen hope over fear and unity over division.

"I hope that we will never be offered such a stark choice again.

"Fear doesn't make us safer, it only makes us weaker, and the politics of fear is simply not welcome in our city."

Outgoing mayor Boris Johnson said: "Many congratulations to Sadiq on securing a huge mandate to do the best job in British politics. I wish him every possible success and will be calling him in the morning.

"I have also been in touch with Zac and thanked him for his heroic efforts to carry the Conservative banner in our city, in spite of the strong headwinds he faced at this stage in the political cycle.

"I believe the high turnout is proof once again that the London mayoralty is now firmly established in the public mind, and I have no doubt the incoming mayor will be able to use the growing powers of the job to deliver improvements in the lives of Londoners."