Ex-mayor Livingstone Marries At Zoo
Sunday, 27th September 2009
Former London Mayor Ken Livingstone has married his long-term partner Emma Beal at London Zoo.
The couple, who have two children, wed just hours after Mr Livingstone hosted his regular Saturday morning radio show, telling LBC listeners that he wanted to "get out the way" of the preparations.
The bride wore a red knee-length halter-neck dress for the ceremony at the zoo's Mappin Pavilion while the groom wore a blue suit.
The beaming couple celebrated with drinks and dancing with family and friends after the service.
Mr Livingstone arrived at LBC as usual on Saturday morning and told listeners: "I think there isn't much of a role for the groom in the morning. You just get out the way. If I'd stayed at home, I'd be offering unhelpful advice about the better way of doing something and winding everybody up, so I just thought I'd come into work."
Mr Livingstone told told listeners it was a "small, family wedding", and replied "I hope he's not related to me!" when he was asked if Boris Johnson, who beat him in last year's mayoral election, would be among the guests.
The groom said the couple decided to marry at the zoo as it was the ideal place to entertain children. "I remember mine used to get bored at weddings because there isn't much to do, whereas (at London Zoo) they can jump in and out of the lions' enclosure for fun," Mr Livingstone said.
He told listeners that the couple's two children, Thomas and Mia, had been "very excited" about the wedding, adding that the couple's honeymoon was on hold until the school holidays.
Mr Livingstone, who has three other children from previous relationships, led the Greater London Council in the early 1980s until its abolition in 1986. He then became MP for Brent East and went on to be the first mayor of London, serving from 2000 until last year.
He served his first term as an independent before he was welcomed back into the Labour party fold in 2004.
Source; news.uk.msn.com
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