Hall shaves six points off Khan’s poll lead amid dramatic shifts in voting intentions

SUSAN Hall is closing the gap on Sadiq Khan as the mayoral race hots up with dramatic shifts in voting intentions in inner and outer London, a survey reveals today.

- Nicholas Cecil

The exclusive YouGov poll puts the Tory contender on 27 per cent, up three points from February, and her Labour rival on 46 per cent, down three points.

While Mr Khan still leads by 19 points this is down from a 25-point gap in February. Green Party candidate Zoe Garbett is on nine per cent, Liberal Democrat Rob Blackie on eight and Reform UK’s Howard Cox is on six.

Election experts expected the polls to narrow at around this time as Londoners focus more on the contest after receiving leaflets from candidates, the campaigns revving up and the May 2 polling day approaching.

The survey showed Ms Hall knocking six points off Mr Khan’s lead despite the gap in Westminster voting intentions between Labour and the Tories in London widening. But far more striking is the comparison between inner and outer London. Ms Hall has significantly recovered ground on Mr Khan in outer London, where the Ultra Low Emission Zone expansion is far more controversial. In February, the Labour contender was ahead by 46 per cent to 27 per cent, or 19 points. But now the Tory challenger is just five points behind, on 33 per cent compared with Mr Khan’s 38 per cent.