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Boris Johnson maintains lead over Ken Livingstone in polls | Boris Johnson maintains lead over Ken Livingstone in polls |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Boris Johnson still has a six percentage point lead over Ken Livingstone in the race to become London's next mayor, the latest opinion poll shows. | Boris Johnson still has a six percentage point lead over Ken Livingstone in the race to become London's next mayor, the latest opinion poll shows. |
This is despite more than a third (37%) of those polled saying they see the Conservative candidate as more keen to help the rich than other groups. | |
With just 17 days to go until the election, the YouGov poll [pdf] makes grim reading for Livingstone. | With just 17 days to go until the election, the YouGov poll [pdf] makes grim reading for Livingstone. |
The former Labour mayor has highlighted a number of manifesto pledges to help people with the cost of living, including a fares cut, a restoration of the educational maintenance allowance for students and a pan-London energy co-op run from City Hall to bring down energy bills. | The former Labour mayor has highlighted a number of manifesto pledges to help people with the cost of living, including a fares cut, a restoration of the educational maintenance allowance for students and a pan-London energy co-op run from City Hall to bring down energy bills. |
But the poll, conducted over the weekend, suggests Livingstone's efforts to help "ordinary Londoners" have failed to reverse the pollstrend, with the incumbent Conservative mayor enjoying a 53% to 47% lead after the other candidates are stripped out, down two percentage points on the last YouGov poll conducted in March, before the coalition budget was unveiled. | But the poll, conducted over the weekend, suggests Livingstone's efforts to help "ordinary Londoners" have failed to reverse the pollstrend, with the incumbent Conservative mayor enjoying a 53% to 47% lead after the other candidates are stripped out, down two percentage points on the last YouGov poll conducted in March, before the coalition budget was unveiled. |
Johnson's six-point lead is in line with a ComRes poll published last week, despite findings which show that more than a third of those polled think Johnson is most interested in helping the rich. | Johnson's six-point lead is in line with a ComRes poll published last week, despite findings which show that more than a third of those polled think Johnson is most interested in helping the rich. |
Almost half (48%) of those surveyed think Johnson is interested in helping some groups more than others, of which 78% say he is particularly keen to help the capital's wealthy ahead of other groups, including commuters (14%) and the poor (4%). Just 35% say Johnson wants to help all Londoners, but this is higher than those who think the same of Livingstone (31%). More than half (53%), believe Livingstone is keen to help some groups more than others, of which 41% believe he is most keen to help Muslims in the capital, followed by 40% who believe he will look after the interests of black and Asian Londoners, and the same number thinking he will put the interests of the poor first. | Almost half (48%) of those surveyed think Johnson is interested in helping some groups more than others, of which 78% say he is particularly keen to help the capital's wealthy ahead of other groups, including commuters (14%) and the poor (4%). Just 35% say Johnson wants to help all Londoners, but this is higher than those who think the same of Livingstone (31%). More than half (53%), believe Livingstone is keen to help some groups more than others, of which 41% believe he is most keen to help Muslims in the capital, followed by 40% who believe he will look after the interests of black and Asian Londoners, and the same number thinking he will put the interests of the poor first. |
On first preference votes conducted under the supplementary vote system, Livingstone was predicted to net 40% and Johnson 45%, putting the Labour candidate six percentage points behind Labour and Johnson 10 points ahead of the Conservatives. | On first preference votes conducted under the supplementary vote system, Livingstone was predicted to net 40% and Johnson 45%, putting the Labour candidate six percentage points behind Labour and Johnson 10 points ahead of the Conservatives. |
The survey suggests Labour will fare better in the London assembly elections, which are more in line with the party's share of support in the capital (50%), with 46% of voters saying they intend to vote Labour and 35% saying they will vote Conservative in the London elections. | The survey suggests Labour will fare better in the London assembly elections, which are more in line with the party's share of support in the capital (50%), with 46% of voters saying they intend to vote Labour and 35% saying they will vote Conservative in the London elections. |
Labour, which has eight assembly seats, looks set to win four more, while the Conservatives are set to lose one of their 11 seats in the elections conducted under a quasi-PR arrangement. | Labour, which has eight assembly seats, looks set to win four more, while the Conservatives are set to lose one of their 11 seats in the elections conducted under a quasi-PR arrangement. |
Peter Kellner, the president of YouGov, said: "The lesson is clear – the Conservatives have the right candidate to maximise their chances of retaining the mayoralty, while Labour has a candidate who has so far been unable to make the right impact in a city where the party generally does substantially better than in the rest of England. Unless this changes in the next two weeks, Labour London will once again elect a Tory mayor." | Peter Kellner, the president of YouGov, said: "The lesson is clear – the Conservatives have the right candidate to maximise their chances of retaining the mayoralty, while Labour has a candidate who has so far been unable to make the right impact in a city where the party generally does substantially better than in the rest of England. Unless this changes in the next two weeks, Labour London will once again elect a Tory mayor." |
Far more of those polled (37%) thought Livingstone was in touch with the concerns of ordinary Londoners, than Johnson (14%). Livingstone also fared better (34%) as the candidate most prepared to "stick to what he believes in", compared with Johnson (30%). | Far more of those polled (37%) thought Livingstone was in touch with the concerns of ordinary Londoners, than Johnson (14%). Livingstone also fared better (34%) as the candidate most prepared to "stick to what he believes in", compared with Johnson (30%). |
The Labour mayoral candidate was also seen as the one who would make Londoners financially "better off" (22%) – three percentage points ahead of Johnson. Yet almost half of those polled (45%) said they did not believe Livingstone would deliver on his flagship promise to cut fares by 7% later this year if elected. | The Labour mayoral candidate was also seen as the one who would make Londoners financially "better off" (22%) – three percentage points ahead of Johnson. Yet almost half of those polled (45%) said they did not believe Livingstone would deliver on his flagship promise to cut fares by 7% later this year if elected. |
However, the majority (56%) said any extra transport funding should be spent on cutting fares while just (34%) agreed with Johnson's policy of spending it on improving the London transport network. | However, the majority (56%) said any extra transport funding should be spent on cutting fares while just (34%) agreed with Johnson's policy of spending it on improving the London transport network. |
Johnson led as the candidate seen as the most honest and trustworthy (25%) compared with Livingstone (19%), who has experienced a difficult few weeks over allegations of hypocrisy over his tax arrangements in light of previous comments levelled at those engaged in tax avoidance. | Johnson led as the candidate seen as the most honest and trustworthy (25%) compared with Livingstone (19%), who has experienced a difficult few weeks over allegations of hypocrisy over his tax arrangements in light of previous comments levelled at those engaged in tax avoidance. |
The Labour mayoral candidate channelled his media earnings through a private company, Silveta Ltd, which allowed him to benefit from corporation tax charged at a lower rate than income tax. The issue has refused to go away despite Livingstone insisting he used the company to pay three other people, including his wife, Emma Beal. | The Labour mayoral candidate channelled his media earnings through a private company, Silveta Ltd, which allowed him to benefit from corporation tax charged at a lower rate than income tax. The issue has refused to go away despite Livingstone insisting he used the company to pay three other people, including his wife, Emma Beal. |
The poll showed the Liberal Democrat candidate, Brian Paddick, would get 7% in first preference votes, with Ukip's Lawrence Webb receiving 3%. Jenny Jones, the Green party candidate, was pushed into joint fifth place for the first time on just 2%, alongside independent candidate Siobhan Benita. | The poll showed the Liberal Democrat candidate, Brian Paddick, would get 7% in first preference votes, with Ukip's Lawrence Webb receiving 3%. Jenny Jones, the Green party candidate, was pushed into joint fifth place for the first time on just 2%, alongside independent candidate Siobhan Benita. |
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