Zac Goldsmith has a “mountain to climb” to avoid defeat in the race to be Mayor after Sadiq Khan opened up an 11-point lead in first preference votes, according to a new poll.

The YouGov survey for the Standard put Conservative Mr Goldsmith on 20 per cent, with Labour’s Mr Khan on 31 per cent. The gap was seven points in March.

A quarter of Londoners are still “don’t knows”, while a further eight per cent “would not vote”.

Pollsters believe many members of these groups — in expressing such a view so close to polling day — are unlikely to vote.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/london-mayoral-election-zac-goldsmith-has-mountain-to-climb-as-sadiq-khan-stretches-poll-lead-a3230406.html

Aerial view of Tower Bridge and the River Thames at night. Photograph: Jason Hawkes/theguardian.com

Mr Khan would be short of a majority on first preferences, on 48 per cent, compared to Mr Goldsmith’s 32 per cent.

The figures almost mirror headline voting intentions in London, with Conservatives on 30 per cent and Labour 46 per cent.

The poll suggests the mayoralty will be decided on second preferences. Once included, without “don’t knows” and “would not vote”, and weighted by likelihood to vote, the Labour contender is on 60 per cent and the Richmond Park MP on 40 per cent.

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