London mayoral election result: When will winner be announced?

London has been braced for the best part of two days for the result of the mayoral election to be announced.

Londoners’ votes for the Mayor of London, London Assembly Constituency member and London Assembly London-wide member contests were verified on Friday and were being counted on Saturday after polling day on Thursday.

But it will most likely be on Saturday afternoon when it will become clear whether Sadiq Khan has won a third term in City Hall or if Tory candidate Susan Hall has pulled off a surprise victory.

Verification of ballot papers from all three contests took place on Friday.

The counting of votes started at 9am on Saturday.

Votes at previous London mayoral and assembly member elections have been counted electronically at three count centres.

This year, they will be counted by hand at 14 Assembly Constituency count venues across London.

The change has been made as there was the possibility that a general election could have also been held on May 2, and the voting system for the mayoralty has also been simplified to first-past-the-post.

The results are being announced at each of the 14 centres in this order:

* Mayoral election

* Constituency assembly winner will be declared

* London-wide election of assembly members using the proportional representation Modified D’Hondt System

The first results were announced shortly after midday on Saturday.

With Labour sources reportedly claiming victory, Mr Khan outscored Tory rival Susan Hall in six out of the seven constituencies that had declared by 2.45pmAfter seven of the 14 constituencies had declared, Mr Khan was 172,378 votes ahead of Ms Hall, having amassed 559,141 votes to her 386,763. However a number of outer London boroughs where Tory support will be stronger have yet to declare.

The final result could come as early as 4.30pm. The returning officer has asked all candidates to report to City Hall by that time for the declaration of the winner.The 14 counts are for Barnet & Camden, Bexley & Bromley, Brent & Harrow, City & East, Croydon & Sutton, Ealing & Hillingdon, Enfield & Haringey, Greenwich & Lewisham, Havering & Redbridge, Lambeth & Southwark, Merton & Wandsworth, North East, South West and West Central. Local elections did not take place in London this year but they did in the capital’s commuter belt and wider South East.