Labour voters deserting Margaret Hodge as support for Tessa Jowell challenge grows

Campaign: Margaret Hodge and, left, Dame Tessa Jowell, who leads in the poll (Picture: Reuters/Nigel Howard)

Nicholas Cecil, Political Editor @nicholascecil

23 December 2014

Backing among Labour supporters for Margaret Hodge to be the party’s London mayoral candidate has collapsed, a YouGov poll reveals today.

Only 10 per cent of Londoners planning to vote Labour at next May’s general election believe the Barking MP would be the party’s best candidate for the 2016 mayoral contest.

Her support dropped from 19 per cent in October to 15 per cent in November, before falling further this month.

Frontrunner Dame Tessa Jowell has gone up two points to 26 per cent in December, once “don’t knows” and “wouldn’t vote” are excluded.

Mrs Hodge fell from fourth place to fifth, with shadow London minister and Tooting MP Sadiq Khan overtaking her as he nudged up to 11 per cent.

Diane Abbott, MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, remains in second spot, up one point to 20 per cent, while Tottenham MP David Lammy’s backing is unchanged on 17 per cent, and Baroness Lawrence is slightly up on 10 per cent.

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