Labour have welcomed a new poll for the Guardian which shows a narrower lead for Tory Mayoral candidate Boris Johnson than recent Evening Standard polls.
According to the Guardian their ICM poll gives Labour candidate and incumbent Mayor Ken Livingstone 41% of first preferences, just one point behind Mr Johnson. With second preferences counted the poll suggests Johnson would win 51% to 49%.
The poll gives smaller parties just 7% of the vote, significantly lower than they scored in the 2004 election. LibDem candidate Brian Paddick will win the votes of just 10% of Londoners according to the poll.
Commenting on the poll Ken Livingstone said: “As the election gets closer Londoners are concentrating on the big policy issues that will affect their day to day lives – transport, crime, housing, community relations, the environment and the ability to practically run London. That’s where I’m picking up support and Boris Johnson is losing ground.”
“I’m particularly pleased by those, in addition to Labour supporters, who have said they are going to vote for me in the first or crucial second rounds – Jonathon Porritt, Greg Dyke, and the Green Party, for example – because these are part of the progressive majority coalition that represents London against the narrow conservative one around Boris Johnson.”
Earlier this week Labour dismissed an Evening Standard/YouGov poll showing a 10% lead for Me Johnson saying it under represented support for smaller paties as it gave them only 5% of the vote – 2% lower than tonight’s poll.