That man will be the new mayor of London. Expect the city to be lost in a hilarious slapstick disaster sometime around noon tomorrow.
[/i]BBC wrote:Early results from the election count suggest Conservative candidate Boris Johnson is ahead in the race to become the next mayor of London.
With 50% of votes counted in the 14 constituencies, he has the most first preference votes in nine. Labour's Ken Livingstone has the most in five areas.
But second preferences, which decided previous contests, are not yet known.
There are various estimates of when the result will be announced - with the Lib Dems saying it is unlikely before 2230.
The official election organisers, London Elect, are still saying "not before" 2030 BST.
One of the reasons for the delayed result is that turnout has been estimated at 45% - up from 36.95% in 2004.
Neck-and-neck
The election will also decide the 25 members of the London Assembly, which scrutinises the work of the mayor.
Opinion polls had placed Mr Livingstone and Mr Johnson neck-and-neck, with Lib Dem ex-police commander Brian Paddick a distant third.
Mr Livingstone won the last two mayoral elections, but in each case the count went to second preference votes.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has conceded Labour's losses in the local elections across England and Wales have been "disappointing".
BBC Political Editor Nick Robinson said all sides believe Mr Johnson will win the mayoral poll.
But walking to his car on Friday morning Mr Johnson told the BBC he was unsure of the result: "I've got not a clue, we'll have to wait and see what the returning officer says."
National impact
Asked if he was encouraged by the Conservatives' performance in England and Wales, he replied: "I think the party's done fantastically nationally but London is a very different kettle of fish and we'll have to see what happens."
Meanwhile Mr Livingstone told reporters he was "feeling fine" adding: "I'm just off for a swim, and then I'm going to go into the Labour headquarters and thanking the staff who work so hard.
"And then I'm just going to sit down and wait like all the rest of you, because none of us can be certain until they announce that result."
The Liberal Democrat candidate Brian Paddick said he had received strong support in Lambeth, where he was a police commander - but he conceded it had been difficult to take on "two giants" who had dominated media coverage.
Speaking at City Hall he told the BBC: "I think we're holding our own, we are coming in around about 15% by the look of things, if we do manage 15% that will be the best performance for a Lib Dem candidate to date."
The counting began at 0830 BST at three venues - Alexandra Palace, Excel and Olympia - but by 1245 BST only 22% of the votes had been counted.
London Elect says it believes 2.4m Londoners voted - a turnout of about 45% and the first time more than 2m people have voted in the mayoral and assembly elections.
The race to run London is the highest-profile contest in the 2008 round of elections.
Electoral prize
Analysts say the outcome could have a powerful impact on national politics ahead of the next general election, which is due by 2010.
Tory MP Mr Johnson has given Mr Livingstone his toughest challenge since the job of London mayor was set up in 2000.
Pundits say a first defeat for Mr Livingstone would be another blow to Labour and Mr Brown.
The first Tory mayor of London would also give party leader David Cameron his biggest electoral prize so far as he tries to show the Conservatives are once more ready for office, say correspondents.
Attention in the capital will also be focused on the fortunes of the British National Party and George Galloway's Respect.
Both parties are vying to hurdle the 5% threshold needed to win their first seats on the London Assembly.
The Greens and UK Independence Party will be hoping to repeat their successes in 2004, when each took two seats.
The Conservatives aim to remain the largest single grouping, although no single party is expected to obtain an overall majority.
