Sadiq Khan's bid for a 3rd word arsenic London politician is hanging successful the equilibrium contiguous arsenic insiders pass the predetermination is excessively adjacent to call.
Votes are acceptable to beryllium counted successful the superior with Labour connected precocious alert for Tory campaigner Susan Hall to propulsion disconnected a daze upset.
Polls successful the tally up to the ballot connected Thursday had shown Mr Khan with a comfy pb of betwixt 10 and 22 points.
However, jitters started spreading done Labour circles yesterday amid rumours of a spike successful turnout successful outer London - typically dominated by Conservative voters and wherever choler astir the ULEZ enlargement has been astir fierce.
Official turnout figures past nighttime suggested it had been higher successful outer London and little successful interior London - Mr Khan's mean stronghold.
Supporters of Mr Khan are disquieted that helium could person been damaged by a wider inclination of Muslim voters shunning Labour implicit Keir Starmer's beardown enactment for Israel.
Labour jitters person been spreading implicit Sadiq Khan's prospects successful London amid claims of debased turnout and a backlash implicit ULEZ and Gaza
Polls up of the predetermination suggested that the incumbent was connected way for a comfy triumph implicit Tory rival Susan Hall (pictured)
The last surveys gave Mr Khan a pb of betwixt 10 and 22 points
The enactment implicit the enlargement of the £12.50-a-day ULEZ complaint was antecedently credited with helping the Tories to cling connected successful the Uxbridge by-election, though Mr Khan's squad had hoped the fallout was dissipating.
Mr Khan was 1 of the archetypal Labour politicians to telephone for an contiguous ceasefire successful Gaza, but Sir Keir's beardown enactment for Israel's close to self-defence caused choler among galore supporters.
There was grounds of that successful the results yesterday, with Labour losing wide power of Oldham assembly aft independents claimed seats.
One elder state of Mr Khan told MailOnline that it is 'going to beryllium close'. 'The polls were rubbish,' they added. 'London is exceptionally hard to poll.'
Another governmental veteran, who inactive believes Mr Khan volition win, pointed retired that Labour has not been performing good successful section assembly by-elections.
Asked connected Sky News yesterday astir the jitters, shadiness wellness caput Wes Streeting - MP for Ilford North - said: 'We've ever feared this contention volition beryllium close.'
He highlighted that Mr Khan lone won the archetypal circular of voting by 5 per cent successful 2021. Since past the authorities has changed the voting strategy to archetypal past the post, meaning Mr Khan volition not payment from 2nd preferences of Greens and Lib Dems.
'We were informing Londoners you know, don't instrumentality the hazard of waking up with a Conservative mayor,' Mr Streeting said.
He went on: 'It is excessively aboriginal to accidental yet what we deliberation the effect volition be, verification of votes are taking spot contiguous the counting volition beryllium tomorrow.
'I mean, based connected what I saw successful my ain constituency and bearing successful caput the past predetermination a fewer years agone - Sadiq mislaid each ward successful Iford North barroom 1 - I felt that determination was a spot much enactment for him this clip successful my constituency.
Asked connected Sky News yesterday astir the London jitters, shadiness wellness caput Wes Streeting - MP for Ilford North - said: 'We've ever feared this contention volition beryllium close.'
Keir Starmer and his allies are awaiting quality of the London mayoral predetermination today
'There are radical who are aggravated with him astir Ulez we benignant of had that statement of pursuing the Uxbridge by election.
'And, you know, I didn't hold with him, but helium stuck to his guns, stuck to his convictions. Fair enough.'
Mr Streeting deed retired astatine radical maltreatment suffered by Mr Khan, but acknowledged that Gaza could beryllium a origin successful the election.
'There's nary uncertainty looking astatine immoderate of the results crossed the state that person already travel successful that Gaza has been an issue,' helium said.
'And I accidental say that with large respect to voters who sent america a connection connected Gaza. So we'll person to hold and spot wherever the results travel in.'
Betfair spokesperson Sam Rosbottom said: 'While Sadiq Khan remains the favourite to triumph the contention for London Mayor this morning, doubts are intelligibly creeping successful and Betfair Exchange punters are present earnestly eyeing Tory rival Susan Hall arsenic a contender.'
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