Tessa Jowell enjoys a 17 point lead over her nearest rival in a new survey asking Labour members and supporters who they’re backing as the party’s 2016 mayoral candidate.
The LabourList survey is the first to be conducted since the party published its six-strong shortlist of candidates last month.
Dame Tessa was named as the preferred choice of 35% of participants, almost double the 18% naming Tooting MP Sadiq Khan.
In joint third place on 12% were Diane Abbott and Christian Wolmar, followed by David Lammy on 9% and MP Gareth Thomas who trails the pack with just 1%.
Unlike previous selections which used an electoral college, Labour will select its 2016 candidate via a primary in which party members and registered supporters will each have a single vote.
The election will use the AV system and require the successful candidate to win the backing of 50% of the selectorate, meaning that the contest is likely to be decided on second preference votes.
Last month YouGov, which unlike the LabourList survey uses a weighted sample for greater accuracy, suggested there was just 3% between Jowell and Khan.
According to that poll, which was carried out in early June, the former Olympics minister enjoyed the backing of 23% of respondents compared to Khan’s 20%. Lammy and Abbott tied for third place with 9% each.
Labour will announce its candidate in mid-September.
