Ken Livingstone unusually quiet over prospect of fatherhood at 57

The Mayor of London was remaining uncharacteristically quiet yesterday over the news that he is to become a father for the first time.

Ken Livingstone's new girlfriend, Emma Beal, is reported to be expecting a child in December. But the former Labour firebrand, who turns 57 next month, was refusing to confirm or deny the news.

His aides also declined to comment, insisting that the Mayor's home life was not a matter for discussion. For a man famed for his love of photo opportunities, Mr Livingstone has always been reticent to reveal much about his private life.

Ms Beal, 34, a woman described as "posh, sweet but discreet", has escaped with just a few mentions in diary columns since their relationship became public knowledge shortly after his split from his long-term partner, Kate Allen, six months ago. Ms Allen, 45, is UK director of Amnesty International. Mr Livingstone was previously married to a teacher, Christine Chapman, in 1973 but they divorced nine years later.

Mr Livingstone and Ms Beal have managed to keep a surprisingly low profile, though they were seen together by Angie Bray, a Tory member of the London Assembly, during a holiday in Australia in March.

Within hours of the pregnancy being reported yesterday, William Hill was offering odds of 100-1 of the baby one day becoming the mayor of London and listed it as a 1,000-1 outsider for making prime minister. The bookmaker was also offering odds of 20-1 that the child would arrive on Christmas Day, 50-1 that the couple were expecting twins, 4-6 odds on it being a boy and 11-10 a girl.

The news broke in London's Evening Standard, the newspaper Ms Beal worked for when she first met Mr Livingstone in 1996. As office manager of the paper's ES Magazine, she helped him organise his restaurant column. Shortly after he was elected Mayor, Mr Livingstone recruited her to run his private office. She is said to have had a "soothing influence" on him.

Yesterday, his only reported comment was: "I made it a rule a long time ago that I never comment on any aspect of my private life." Now two years into his first term, the Mayor might hope that fatherhood will bring about the same boost in popularity enjoyed by Tony Blair when Leo was born.