Damon Wake

Alex Salmond has written to new London mayor Boris Johnson suggesting that the two men co-operate on areas of common interest.

The First Minister yesterday told The Politics Show on BBC Scotland that he had written to Mr Johnson congratulating him on his victory.

"I am always prepared to do business with anybody who is democratically elected by the people," said Mr Salmond. "I have also written to Ken Livingstone, an old friend of mine.

"I'm actually sad he lost because whatever faults he has, and we all have faults, he has done some substantial things for London."

Mr Salmond said he had written to the new major suggesting: "If there's things we can co-operate on, let's co-operate."

He played down past criticism by Mr Johnson of public spending in Scotland, saying Mr Livingstone had stopped making similar criticisms after studying figures which showed public spending per head in London was higher - and that revenues far exceeded spending in both areas.

"If Ken Livingstone can see the light in these matters, even Boris Johnson will come to realise the same thing," he said.

Mr Johnson yesterday pledged to work for all communities and to unite the city in his new role.

The new mayor had his first official engagement yesterday with a visit to a noisy cultural event in Trafalgar Square marking the Sikh festival of Vaisakhi.

He dismissed the suggestion made during the election campaign that he would not support events such as this as "a canard floated by the outgoing mayor".

Mr Johnson said he had demanded tough action on crime in the city during his meeting on Saturday with Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair.

"I made it very clear that I want to see a dramatic reduction in crime, beginning with driving out so-called minor crime, particularly in the areas for which the mayor has responsibility, and above all on public transport," he said.

Dozens of wellwishers thronged to meet Mr Johnson as he toured the stalls yesterday, congratulating him and posing for photographs.

Mr Johnson seemed delighted with the reception, greeting people warmly and even posing for photographs in a policeman's cap.

"The last few days have been very, very exciting and very, very exhausting, but this is the single most wonderful job in British politics," he said.

"It's a fantastic chance to give a voice to London and unite London."