Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, MP is a British politician and the current Mayor of London; he is also a journalist and author, formerly serving as editor of The Spectator. He was elected as Member of Parliament for Henley in 2001, and was the Shadow Minister for Higher Education until the announcement of his intention to stand in the 2008 London mayoral election. He assumed the post of Mayor of London on May 4, 2008.