Election latest - Livingstone takes the lead

5:58pm Friday 2nd May 2008

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Ken Livingstone has taken the lead in the race to become mayor in Enfield and Haringey.

With 56 per cent of actual votes counted, Mr Livingstone has inched into the lead.

He is now ahead in three of the four constituencies being counted at Alexandra Palace - Brent and Harrow, North East London (Waltham Forest, Islington and Hackney) and Enfield and Haringey.

Haringey Councillor Emma Jones, who represents Bruce Grove and is a prospective Labour candidate for the European Parliament, said: "The results are very promising and there's every reason to believe that Ken will extend his lead.

"We're also hopeful that he will get a lot of second preference votes from Liberal Democrats especially in Haringey.

"The good news is, Ken is very much still in the running."

Officials have suggested that ballot boxes from Enfield, a Conservative stronghold, may have been counted first and now ballots from Labour-dominated Haringey are being opened, helping Mr Livingstone to pull ahead.

GLA candidate Joanne McCartney has also made up a considerable amount of lost ground and is neck and neck with Matthew Laban, a Conservative councillor for Enfield.

The Conservatives still have the edge for the position of London-wide Assembly member.

More to follow.