The course of true democracy never did run smooth, as proved at some hapless polling stations in yesterday's election fever. We say fever... it was more like a mild sweat. Polling officials in Barnet were certainly sweating when their ballot papers didn't turn up on time for the earlybird 7am start, disappointing voters eager to elect before work. All was well by 7.21am precisely, though so let's hope the briefly disenfranchised were able to......

The day has finally arrived. After months of campaigning, it's finally your turn to have your say and elect a London Mayor for the next 4 years. And not only that, as was highlighted yesterday, there are some other things you need to make your mind up about too. Hopefully, you've had a lovely helpful leaflet through your door to steer you through the polling minefield but if not, here are the basics: 1. Find......

The mayoral race has entered its final lap with the two leading contenders straining madly for the winning tape. The polls still fall into two groups: YouGov's, which continue to show Boris Johnson in the lead, and all the others which show him and Ken Livingstone neck-and-neck. Perhaps the most significant development is that the last two YouGovs have found Johnson's lead diminishing, adding to the general – and largely unscientific – feeling that it's......

The tense stalemate following last month's election in Zimbabwe spilled over into the streets of London yesterday. Frustrated by the insistence of Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party to hold a recount, activists from the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) - which claims their candidate, Morgan Tsvangirai, won the March 29th presidential election - stormed the Zimbabwean embassy on the Strand. Member's of the MDC-UK women's wing, led by Judith Ngwenya, snuck in after deviously (in......

ULU hustings shot courtesy of lewishamdreamer's Flickrstream The shape of the remainder of the mayoral race came into sharper focus last week thanks to one conspicuous absence, one opinion poll and three supposedly “secret” children. The absence was Boris Johnson’s from Time Out’s hustings at ULU on Wednesday, which Ken Livingstone, Sian Berry and Brian Paddick all attended. Why did The Blond not appear? That depends on whom you talk to. Time Out complained that......

And they’re off! The runners and riders have bolted from their stables and the London mayoral race is now officially underway. Braced to face scabrous attack of their respective transport and environmental policies, and the bleatings of Madonna, betting on the field continues to swing away from Ken to Boris, with the Lib Dems’ Brian Paddick barely out the paddock. No mere Boris v Ken affair, the full line-up boasts 10 candidates, all contending......

Al Fayed and his Royal Ghouls conspiracy - Macca, Mills and the millions - enough already!! Science Museum specialists to strike over pay... Unsurprising since London's streets may as well be paved with gold Junior suffrage in action as Young Mayor of Tower Hamlets elected (are you registered to vote in May?) Eels attempt to put the Royal back in Festival Hall Image courtesy of Shutterbuguy via the Londonist flickr group.......

Yesterday, Ken announced that London will have a city bike hire scheme, a la Vélib' in Paris, with up to 6,000 bikes located across docking stations every 300m. Hooray! This major investment in cycling - £500 million over a decade - will transform the way we get around the capital although it's unlikely we'll see the bikes on our streets until 2010. Better commuter cycle routes are also planned. The programme will improve pedestrian......

If you were wandering around Bayswater last night and wondering why you were surrounded by several thousand Americans, it's not because we started granting political asylum to those seeking refuge from the Bush regime (a bit late for that, really). No, it's because last night, Democrats Abroad held their very own Super Tuesday event for expatriates who wanted something more tangible than pointing and clicking for their favourite candidate. Obama advocates and Hillary supporters......