New boost to Mayor's party hopes

Ken Livingstone was today set to get the crucial backing of London Labour chiefs for his bid to rejoin the party.

Members of the party's regional board are expected to make a formal call for him to be invited back after only three years in the wilderness.

And the Mayor looks set to clear the final hurdle tomorrow when the party's National Executive committee will vote on his future.

The decision could mean Mr Livingstone being crowned within weeks as the official Labour candidate next June.

The move marks an astonishing comeback. Mr Livingstone was expelled for a minimum of five years in 2000 as punishment for trouncing Labour's Frank Dobson in the mayoral elections.

Crucially, Labour's elected candidate Nicky Gavron has signalled she is prepared to run as his deputy.

A three-horse race is now likely between Mr Livingstone, Steve Norris for the Tories and Simon Hughes for the Liberal Democrats.