SIR Steve Bullock swept to an emphatic victory in Lewisham's mayoral election on Friday.

The Labour candidate won with a huge majority of 16,085.

During his victory speech, he said: "I am humbled by the trust that has been placed in me by the people of Lewisham. They have given me the responsibility of leading this borough through what we all know will be a very difficult period.

"All public services will face reductions in resources yet we know that we must maintain the essential services that many of our fellow citizens rely upon.

"This is not a task I can carry out alone and I am fortunate in being able to work with our newly elected members of parliament as well as many able and committed local councillors who were elected last Thursday.

"I am acutely aware that there is a demand for a new kind of politics in our country.

"A politics based on honesty and integrity, a politics in which elected representatives listen and debate not only among themselves but with their fellow citizens before reaching a view but also a politics in which once the discussions are over there is clear and decisive leadership."

He added: "Since becoming mayor I have tried to make that kind of politics possible in Lewisham with initiatives like the local assemblies and the young mayor – I hope to be able to do more in the next four years.

"We need to move forward in Lewisham making that new politics our way of working and we need to make fairness more than an election slogan.

"We are blessed with a strong community and good public services – together we can face the hard choices and take this borough through to a better time.

"Finally I want to offer my sympathy to the families and friends of the young victims of violence in this borough.

"Everyone of us must redouble our efforts to end this plague of gun and knife crime and it is the first issue I will be addressing as mayor."