Sixteen years as Havering and Redbridge’s London Assembly member will be notched up by Conservative Roger Evans after he won the seat for the fourth time, despite seeing his majority dramatically slashed.
His narrow win to Labour’s Mandy Richards was announced moments ago at ExCel.
He polled 53,285 votes – 37.5 per cent – with Labour rival Mandy Richards securing 49,386 votes – 34.8 per cent.
That compares to a 26 per cent advantage for Mr Evans over Labour in the 2008 election, with a majority of 43,025.
His 2012 majority is 3,899.
Liberal Democrat candidate Farrukh Islam, who narrowly finished third in 2008, slumped to fifth with 6,435 votes.
Lawrence Webb, of the UK Independence Party/Fresh Choice for London finished third with 9,471 votes, while Malvin Brown of the Residents’ Association of London was fourth with 8,239 votes.
The British National Party were sixth, the Green Party seventh, the English Democrats eighth and the National Front ninth of nine candidates.
Turnout was 36.3 per cent, down eight per cent on 2008.
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