Bookies slash odds on shock defeat for Sadiq Khan in London as Tories close gap
BOOKIES slashed their odds last night on a shock defeat for Sadiq Khan in London.
Senior Tories claimed the race for Mayor of London was far closer than originally thought and would be a major upset for the pollsters who had Labour heading for a landslide.
Mr Khan’s hated ULEZ expansion and 20mph zones were said to have “galvanised” voters in the suburbs, according to Tory strategists.
Meanwhile it was claimed a similar collapse in Muslim voter support for Labour seen in English cities could be repeated in east London.
Mr Khan’s team also insisted the battle for City Hall was tight – amid an increased turnout in the outer boroughs of the Capital and a slump in voting in the inner city.
The so-called London “donut” sees Labour’s support concentrated in the centre of London while the Tories keeping a grip on the outer-ring.
In Bexley and Bromley turnout was up four points to 48.38 per cent.
While in Tower Hamlets it slumped four to 31.17.
And in limited data from council by-elections, Hillingdon in West London showed Labour down 8 per cent, while the Tories were unexpectedly 10 per cent up in one ward in Wandsworth.
Tory strategists last night believed Khan would achieve a third term running London, but the bookies odds tightened yesterday on a massive shock upset by their candidate Susan Hall.
The first hint of Labour panic came in an attack from Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting on Thursday.
He was slammed after claiming: “A win for Susan Hall and the Conservatives is a win for racists, white supremacists and Islamophobes the world over.”