Londoners have started casting their votes in the 2024 mayoral election that is pitting Labour incumbent Sadiq Khan against Tory challenger Susan Hall.
Thirteen candidates are battling it out on election day, which kicked off as voting stations opened at 7am, with millions also set to vote to elect a new London Assembly.
The race between the two frontrunners was electrified on Wednesday by a poll in the Standard which showed Mr Khan’s lead over Ms Hall had closed to the smallest since their campaigns started.
The Savanta survey for the Centre for London put the Labour mayor on 42 per cent and Tory candidate 32 per cent.
Voters are heading to the polls across the country in a series of local elections seen as the final test of public opinion before Rishi Sunak goes to the country later this year.
Forecasts suggest the Tories could lose up to half of the council seats they are defending, with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt saying the party expects to suffer “significant losses”.
