Livingstone sworn in as London mayor

Ken Livingstone formally returned to running the capital after a 14-year gap today when he was sworn in as Mayor of London.

The former GLC leader signed a declaration of office along with nine members of the newly elected Greater London Assembly at a short ceremony at its temporary headquarters in Westminster.

Dressed in a green suit, Mr Livingstone smiled broadly at waiting reporters and photographers as he signed.

Moments before, the GLA's senior officer Robert Chilton, who countersigned Mr Livingstone's declaration, said: "This is the restoration of democratic government to London and this is a historic moment."

During the ceremony Mr Livingstone declined to shed further light on whether Assembly members would take up his officer of senior positions in the new London-wide administration.

He spoke only to joke with waiting journalists, asking whether they had sufficient pictures.

When one photographer replied: "Not really," Mr Livingstone, who had just signed the declaration, quipped: "Well, I'm not going to do it twice."